Sieg Zeon: The Fanfiction
by mdc1957
Summary: As Universal Century 0079 dawns, the Principality of Zeon finally goes to war against the Earth Federation in the name of independence. Amidst this, a Spacenoid named Valeria Caine finds herself not just a witness to the conflict, but also playing a larger role in a conflict that will define her homeland and humanity's future. The SpaceBattles UC Gundam RP, now in fanfiction form.
1. Prologue

**Author's Notes:** I'm trying something rather different and ambitious compared to previous fics, and that is converting the SpaceBattles Forum RP _Sieg Zeon_ into a full-fledged tale. For those unfamiliar with it, it's a quest game started up by user ForeverShogo that ran from 2013 to 2016 set in the original Universal Century/UC universe of the _Mobile Suit Gundam_ franchise. More specifically, it follows the space-based, Germanic/Axis-inspired Principality of Zeon (often considered the "villain" faction though it's nowhere near as clear cut as it seems) largely through the eyes of a young woman named Valeria Caine and her comrades, who go on to help change the course of UC history. Needless to say, things start changing from canon over the course of the RP with increasing magnitude.

What's most fascinating about the UC works and Gundam in general are how complex and for all their sci-fi and mystic elements have grounded elements of realism or at the very least believability, such as the beauty and horrors of war. As this an adaptation of the RP, I try to keep as much of the narrative ForeverShogo's written down, or at least the spirit of it as intact as possible while also (whenever appropriate and necessary) reworking it into a more coherent whole and making it understandable for those not necessarily familiar with Gundam lore. Given how the RP was pretty well written to begin with, it makes things a little easier. While it's also being posted on both SpaceBattles and DeviantArt, now you too can get to experience it here.

That said, best to be safe than sorry. This is a work of fiction. _Mobile Suit Gundam_ belongs to Sunrise, Namco-Bandai and other respective owners.

* * *

 ** _Sieg Zeon:  
_** ** _An Alternate Tale of the Universal Century_**

 ** _Prologue_**

It is the year 0078 of the Universal Century. Generations have passed since Earth began moving its burgeoning population into gigantic orbiting space colonies. A new home for mankind, where people are born and raised. And where the shadow of death looms ever closer.

Side 3, the cluster of colonies furthest from the Earth has since proclaimed itself the Principality of Zeon and stands on the precipice of war with the Earth Federation, all in the name of independence. One such person living in such tumultuous times is a young woman named Valeria Caine.

As a result of the government's decision to enter into a state of national mobilization, she like many others had been conscripted into Zeon's armed forces. She can't help but think that maybe, just maybe, she should have acted sooner to get into college or find a job that would have let her avoid conscription. But then again, that would have been a selfish, easy way out. For despite being the daughter of low level officials in the government - and with a good education and decent upbringing to match - even she had experienced first hand the economic hardships forced upon Zeon by the Earth Federation's Bardot Policy. For a girl of 18, she's also well aware of the many other families made to suffer due to the Federation's economic terrorism. It is for this reason, among others, that she did not consider fleeing Zeon to get out of the draft.

Zeon called on Valeria to defend its people and, no matter your own beliefs on war, she decided to answer that call.

Undergoing basic training and taking a number of rather thorough aptitude tests, Zeon decided that this young conscript would best serve her country as a "Mobile Suit" pilot. A relatively new technology, the Principality has clearly decided that the humanoid mobile suit will be the key to victory over the Federation in the event of war. Against the might of an entire world, the military – and the ruling Zabi family – is almost totally dedicated to deploying and supporting weapons destined to change the face of warfare forever. And the people set to pilot them, like Valeria herself.

It's easier said than done. At least with the vast majority of time spent running or doing push ups, she didn't feel like a total fool when it's clear all the other conscripts felt the same way. But when she's actually sitting in the cockpit of an actual Zaku - a mono-eyed, mass-produced "workhorse" - knowing fully well that all eyes were on her as she attempted to demonstrate what she's learned, every single mistake made just feels that much more pronounced; mistakes that could cost her life had it been in combat. Still, as far as the instructor's concerned, she's shown potential, even if at times it seems like he's just trying to make her feel better.

As December draws closer and her time at the academy ends, she still works hard to be a better pilot. She would not shut down completely to failure, not with what's at stake. Yet while she hopes that those running the Federation will come to see reason and normalize relations with Zeon, war seems inevitable at this point. Even with all the mobile suits at their disposal, talk of Colonel M'Quve's ambitious "United Maintenance Plan" being implemented, and all kinds of rumors among the other conscripts, it would undoubtedly be a hard fight.

What's certain is that new chapter is about to begin. For Valeria, her homeland and the entire Earth Sphere.

* * *

While the RP intro does a good job setting up a general introduction into the UC timeline (and it's recommended that one checks the link as it's fairly substantial), for some further context:

The Bardot Policy is an economic embargo by the Earth Federation enacted in UC 0059, halting all resource shipments to Side 3, aka "Munzo," aka what would be known as Zeon.

The United Maintenance Plan is a reference to the mass standardization of Zeon's mobile suit production and development conceived by Colonel M'Quve, a very high-ranking figure in their military. In canon (first introduced in the OVA _Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket_ ) the plan was implemented several months into the war...and several months too late for it have really helped. In this version of events though, it's implemented _before_ the war even begins, which would be one of myriad small changes that gradually leave larger repercussions.


	2. Chapter 1: The End of Innocence

**_Sieg Zeon:_**

 ** _An Alternate Tale of the Universal Century_**

 ** _Chapter 1: The End of Innocence_**

It's a strange mix of absolute nervousness and swelling pride that Valeria Caine found herself standing with the rest of the December 0078 graduates, many of whom were licensed as full-fledged mobile suit pilots. It may have something to do with the fact that one of the Zabis decided to be present in the otherwise typical ceremonies. Apparently, the usual accolades of "Good job. You're super!" weren't enough for her class in particular, which made the proceedings even more unbearable.

Of course, she wasn't alone in hoping it would be Garma, the youngest and most charismatic of the Zabis. Quite a few of her fellow females acted like someone had shot their puppy when they learned otherwise. Not Valeria though. _No,_ _you have self respect like that_ , she thought to herself as she tried to calm herself, even as she ever so slightly fidgeted with her green hair and stifling green uniform.

As it turned out, the one that came to see her class was Vice Admiral Dozle Zabi. She knew from videos and photos that he was supposed to be a large, intimidating man. That still didn't prepare her for seeing just how huge he was in person. Clearly he seemed to have eaten all his spinach and drank all his milk, as far as she was concerned. _What the fuck have they been feeding this guy?_ The thought that he could probably crush her entire head with a single hand, let alone use both hands to add in a crushed torso didn't help in easing her nerves. That, plus his facial scars made him look rather terrifying, even knowing they're all on the same side.

Which made it almost surreal to see how friendly he actually was. With a jovial grin, he was evidently one who didn't stand on pomp and ceremony. He waded right into the sea of freshly minted pilots and just started up conversations like he was a favorite uncle one hadn't seen in a while. Still, Valeria felt nervous, forcing herself to remain in full attention as she kept up as stern a face as possible. _I'm not going to make a damn fool of myself!_

All other thoughts however left her as Dozle walked by her. It's clear from his body language that he didn't have much time to spare save for some congratulatory banter. Even as she returned a salute, she quietly sighed with relief that she's able to keep up at all. Yet there was a slight, almost melancholy glint from the Zabi commander's eyes as he laid a friendly pat on her shoulder.

"It'd be a waste to send someone like you to die, soldier. But just do your all, and we'll an end to the Federation in no time!"

"I'll do my best, Sir!" Valeria replied as she saluted Dozle, who in turn nodded with a smile before turning to the next graduate. It all lasted a few moments, but it was enough to leave an impression on her to continue pushing through in what was to come.

After the ceremonies ended and her orders received, the young pilot slipped away from the impromptu celebrations and decided to find the Zaku she trained on, taking part in what was becoming a tradition for Zeon pilots. It was sentimental and ultimately trivial in the wider scheme of things. Still, she grinned. _But it's not like that's a bad thing._

The next time someone trains on that Zaku, she mused as she left, they'd find carved into the seat with so many other names, the words "Valeria Caine" in fluid strokes.

-o-

After a few training exercises to get a feel for working with her squad of conscripts, the fleet of which the Musai-class cruiser _Holstein_ was a member of – complete with its own Komusai transport vessel – had been ordered to move out. Word down the grapevine's that the fleet would be moving towards the vicinity of Side 2, "Hatte," instead of remaining at Pezun Asteroid Base. Many, Ensign Valeria Caine included, tensed up upon hearing the news. Others meanwhile didn't seem to have realized what this likely meant, apparently believing the intent was to scare Side 2's EFSF garrison.

As she sat anxiously with her fellow rookies making up the 87th MS Team in the ship's briefing room, her mind went back to just after Christmas, during her leave following her graduation. It has been good to see her parents again. It would have been perfect if Dad hadn't kept trying to warn her away from all the boys she'd be surrounded by, or if Mother hadn't taken her aside to encourage her to let herself go wild every now and then. _A little bit embarrassing too_. _Honestly._ She blushed slightly at that, grateful though that the ship's captain hadn't arrived yet. _Did they really need to subject me to that AGAIN?_ Still, she couldn't hold it against them. After all they were just trying to avoid thinking about how much danger she was in. Indeed, a part of her wondered, as she said her farewells and promised to write or call home, whether she would even see them again.

Shrugging that morbid train of thought aside, Valeria glanced at her teammates. For all of her homeland's Germanic trappings and generally European-based culture, her comrades in arms would have surprised someone from the distant past. Many of them were either Caucasian or Asian in ancestry, with names to match like Thomas Crowley or Phan Kim. And no doubt more than a handful on the _Holstein_ alone were volunteers hailing from the other Sides, drawn in either by Zeon's drive for freedom or the thrill of seeing action. Either way, she could sense that they were all lost in their own thoughts on what was going on. Sighing, she looked away and instead tried focusing on the screens in front of her.

 _I don't blame them_. After all, there'd been word that the other fleets had given similar orders to hers. The forces stationed at Solomon Asteroid Base were being sent to Side 4, "Moore." Those at the A Baoa Qu fortress were headed to Side 1, "Zahn," while those stationed at the homeland itself were bound for the lunar city of Granada. Whatever the plans being laid out by Zeon's high command were, the EFSF would be utterly unprepared.

"It's really coming down to this," Valeria muttered to no one in particular just as the _Holstein_ 's captain entered the room. While a part of her still hope that the naive minority's right, that somehow the "Feddies" would listen to reason and peace would reign, she knew better.

It was New Year's Day. January 1, UC 0079. And in a few days, if not sooner, a war for independence was to be waged that would rival if not surpass the infamous conflicts of the old Anno Domini era. It's not a question of if anymore, but of when.

* * *

The EFSF is short for the Earth Federation Space Force, aka the spaceborne parts of the Federation military. At this point though, the EFSF doesn't really have any real parallel to Zeon's mobile suits.

Dozle Zabi is one of the surviving male sons of the current leader of Zeon, Sovereign Degwin Zabi. Without spoiling any further, he's considered among the most sympathetic or at least among the least guilty of the Zabi family in canon.

As an aside, this particular section is actually taken from the RP's various introductory parts, leading up to the beginning of what would be called the One Year War in canon, through the eyes of Valeria Caine. While also adding a few new scenes and a bit of polishing, I still try to keep as much of the original text as possible. Hope you enjoy this one!


	3. Chapter 2: The Price of Independence

**_Sieg Zeon:_**

 ** _An Alternate Tale of the Universal Century_**

 ** _Chapter 2: The Price of Independence_**

"It's finally happening," Valeria muttered aloud as she tried to steel herself. Seated in the cockpit of her C-Type Zaku II, awaiting the order to sortie, she couldn't help but repeat those same words for the nth time. _What else could I do?_ she added quietly as she glanced at the date marked on the console's display: January 3, UC 0079. It wouldn't be long before that date would go down in infamy.

For the moment though, she knew that all was still quiet in the Earth Sphere. The declaration of war that was to be broadcast by none other than Supreme Commander Gihren Zabi, the eldest and most calculating of the Zabi siblings, had yet to be delivered. Still, she'd begun questioning if she really had what it took to open fire on other human beings. Even with her hatred against the Federation, it still wouldn't be the same as shooting a set of training dummies or performing various simulations. _Right, right…this is war. Stay focused!  
_  
The mission's a simple one, or so her superiors said. Thanks to the wonders of the Minovsky Particle, the Federation hadn't yet realized what Zeon's up to. The bulk of the EFSF were still at their main headquarters at Luna 2; their colonial garrisons meanwhile still believed themselves to be safe within the confines of their colonies. Upon launching, the 87th MS Team was to work with the others being deployed to quickly and efficiently eradicate the token external defenses the enemy had available at Side 2. Those external forces had to be eliminated before the rest of the "EFSF Hatte garrison" could have time to exit the colonies. In this way, Zeon's forces could pick off any remaining Feddies at their leisure.

' _Like shooting fish in a barrel,' they said._ Valeria sighed as she took one more moment to steel herself and do a last check on her Zaku II's inventory. _Hope I'm not one of those fish._

-o-

 _*"…Our people will never again bow down to the tyranny of the Earth's elite!"*_ Gihren Zabi's rousing voice bellowed from the comms amidst the sounds of gunfire and explosions as his speech reached its inevitable conclusion. * _"The Principality of Zeon hereby declares war upon the Earth Federation!"*  
_

Valeria already knew it was happening, given the mission and how it was all being synchronized across the Earth Sphere. The 87th MS Team had already been deployed before the declaration was even set to be delivered. The same was likely true for what was almost certainly every other MS Team in Zeon's military. Whatever faint hopes she had of some last-minute change of plans proved futile as garbled reports of attacks came in within mere seconds of the broadcast. _Still…Humanity once again at war with itself…it's finally come to this!_

 _*"Caine, hit the Fish on the left. Pham, you're on the right. Aarde, I want you up the center. Support Caine or Pham if they need it. Crowley, you're with me."*_

 _*"Affirmative."*_

 _*"You've got it, boss."*_

 _*"Can't wait to bag me a Magellan."*_

Her thoughts were all too quickly interrupted by team leader Lt. Halder's orders. Training took hold as she crisply replied "Yes, sir!" over the comms and prepared to open fire on the lead plane of the left Sabrefish squadron. Earthborn fighter jets modified for use in space, she briefly recalled, the Saberfish seemed like a throwback to another era in history. Not that it really mattered when the oversized, 120mm Machinegun Valeria's Zaku II yielded caused that lead plane to disappear, being utterly annihilated by her fire. No doubt, she knew, swarms of other Zakus, Gobble space-fighters and the rest of Zeon's arsenal were doing the same across the various Sides, punishing the Federation for its complacency.

It didn't take long however before the rest of the squadron desperately attempted to turn towards her so they could attempt to avenge their flight lead with missile fire. _Not much on a chance!_ Had there been more of a lull in the ensuing carnage, she might probably be disturbed by how easy it was to take someone's life. Then again, it's hard to think of it as gunning down a person when they're hidden amidst the metal of a plane. _And trying to take me down with them...  
_  
After making short work of the initial Sabrefish squadron, Valeria decided to press on towards the next set. From the sounds of things over her team's comm channels, Pham and Aarde were just as successful. With the near side of the Feddie patrol clear of fighters, Lt. Halder and LTJG. Crowley were starting their attack run on the sole Magellan-class battleship in Side 2.

Suddenly, she's forced to juke hard up and to her left to evade missile fire from the nearest Salamis cruiser. While the ship could prove to be an annoyance in making a beeline for the next set of targets, she opted instead to trust that the others would do their part just as she was doing her.

With firm determination, she continued heading for the next group of Saberfish, making evasive maneuvers to spoil the efforts of the Salamis' gunners as she did so. More than one missile came danger close to colliding with her however, as the myriad alarms throughout the cockpit testified. But as her mono-eyed weapon of war danced through space like some kind of ballerina the worst taken were a few glancing hits from enemy gunfire; save perhaps for a few tiny dents and paint scratches, they weren't even worth mentioning.

Amidst her dance however, she saw two rather large explosions followed by quite a few secondary ones. It meant Halder and Crowley were both able to hit the Magellan without interference, with the former hitting the bridge while the latter managed to bag one of the missile launchers, triggering much of the ensuing destruction. True enough, the comms went active again.

 _*"Awwww, yeah! Did you see that?! Scratch one Magellan, baby!"*_

 _*"Crowley! Shut up and go take care of Salamis 1. I'll take Salamis 2."*_

 _*"Yes, sir."*_

While Valeria allowed herself a moment to grin with some relief, this only meant that the Salamis cruisers harassing her – and failing at it – were about to have something much more interesting to shoot at. _Unless of course they wanted to be blown right the fuck up_.

This turn of events naturally left the original Saberfish workload for her to finish off. The fighters in question had apparently split up and were attempting to use their speed for slashing attacks. While it must have been out of panic on their end, one particular thought crossed her mind as she loaded in more ammunition into her Machinegun. _This is ridiculously retarded of them._ With the superior agility afforded by the AMBAC system mobile suits had, she was able to pick them off one by one, evading any missiles or gunfire sent her way.

 _Last one..._ "There!"

As she put down her tenth Saberfish, she found that Pham and Aarde had done the same, leaving only the remaining Salamis and a set of Columbus-class supply ships close to Side 2's component colonies to deal with.

 _No. Wait. Scratch that_.

As the Feddie cruisers exploded, Valeria turned her attention towards the now-utterly defenseless Columbus, waiting anxiously on whether she or her teammates would be forced to take them down. The message sent to every Zeon force in the area that what remained of the EFSF Hatte garrison wished to surrender however, allowed her to finally calm down. Instead the _Holstein_ and the 87th MS Team were ordered to secure the supply ships until their cargo could be recovered, with the _Holstein_ itself expected to house prisoners.

As she collected herself and moved to join the rest of her teammates, all of whom having made it through in one piece, she couldn't help but feel as if something seemed off. True, as it was now sinking in, the battle that just took place did seem like shooting fish in a barrel. _Makes me wonder if the other Sides are like this._ Yet while she was glad that it's over for now, she also recalled the rumors circulating before the mission about Side 2, involving some sort of sleeping gas if not a plot to end the conflict quickly. _Then again, how reliable are those anyway? Still..._

"I'm probably overthinking it," the Zeon pilot finally sighed aloud, nonetheless letting herself smile. She's still alive after all, and on the victor's side at that. For now, that's what mattered. _Not too shabby for my first real sortie._

* * *

The Minovsky Particle, first discovered in UC 0065 screws with electromagnetic radiation, among other things, something fierce. Microwaves? Radio waves? Radar? Long range, wireless communications? Good luck with those. Infra-red signals are defracted, reducing their accuracy. Visible light is apparently fogged. Oh, and if your electronic devices aren't heavily shielded then these particles tend to ruin them. The good news? Minovsky Particles only do these things when an area is particularly dense with them. The bad news? During combat, everyone tends to deliberately scatter as many of the things as they can. It takes roughly 29 days for Minovsky Particles to go away and make a region safe for electronics and the like once again. Oh, and they can also be used for effective beam weaponry and ultra-compact fusion reactors. It also helps justify the existence of mobile suits.

The AMBAC (Active Mass Balance Auto-Control) system is a technology allowing for thruster-less maneuvering in space by mobile suits via precise movement control of their limbs. This in turn gives them much more mobility than standard spaceships or "conventional" weapons.

The nature of the attack stems from the "Three Second Warning." Zeon attacked the Earth Federation at the same time as their declaration of war. The first Federation casualty occurred a mere three seconds afterwards. In other words, Zeon forces opened fire on Feddie the instant Zeon said it was at war. The initial attacks happened so quickly and were so effective that I believe it actually took quite a few hours for the Federation to figure out they were under attack.

As for what Operation British _is_ at this point? Just stay turned to find out.


	4. Chapter 3: Operation British

**_Sieg Zeon:_**

 ** _An Alternate Tale of the Universal Century_**

 ** _Chapter 3: Operation British_**

It was January 5, UC 0079. In the span of only a few days, Zeon's opening attacks were wildly successful across the board. So much so that even the well-fortified Lunar city of Von Braun, built around where Apollo 11 landed centuries ago, seemed within reach.

 _For a given definition of successful anyways_ , Valeria Caine scowled as she watched a rerun of a ZeoNet news broadcast in the _Holstein_ 's recreation room. No matter how many times she'd seen it or the documents being disseminated, it didn't make it any less palatable. Considering the sheer number of people that have already died, she was having a lot of difficulty with how the higher ups were referring to a good portion of those attacks. _They're successful for a reason…_

The cup in her hand was crushed by her grip. Even now, it's hard to believe that Zeon deployed a new type of nerve gas – codenamed G3 – to depopulate multiple colonies. Or rather, she didn't _want_ to believe it. Not when her ship was part of the fleet being sent to escort one of those now-empty colonies.

All this for what was being called "Operation British." _At least I don't have to see that massive grave from here._

True, the colonies that were gassed were the ones that contained the largest EFSF garrisons. High Command, so it's said, looked at the number of soldiers they were likely to lose clearing them out, as well as the delays it would cause, and decided that the civilian populations were a small price to pay when they had the means to defeat those garrisons so much more quickly using G3. At the back of Valeria's mind however, as she stood up to look away from the screen, she knew that there was a bit more to it than just that. After all, someone had to come up with such a scheme before it was passed on to Ghiren Zabi for it to be green-lit. _Unless Gihren himself…dammit, I must be overthinking this!  
_

Even now, she felt sick. The truth was, she wasn't sure what's worse: that Zeon actually did it or that Zeon plans to smash the colony she'd help escort into the Earth to kill who knows how many more innocents. The stated objectives of Operation British didn't make it any better, given how it's meant to quickly and efficiently obliterate the Federation's central headquarters known as Jaburo; located somewhere in South America, it's too hardened a location for more traditional bombardment methods to be effective, and if it wasn't taken out Zeon would be forced to mount an invasion of the Earth itself.

Looking at the men around her as she returned to the crew quarters, it was clear that even some of the more diehard types were nervous at such a prospect. If she were honest, she felt the same dread for this whole affair. While the Feddie attacks on the empty colony had been repelled so far, the young woman wondered just how many more times she'd have to sortie before Operation British was finally completed. _And hopefully this whole damn war!_

Lying down on her bunk, Valeria loosened her uniform's collar and tried to close her eyes. What's done was done, and there was no point trying to point fingers. _At least not right now_. She just hoped that this whole mess was sorted out. Fast.

-o-

Three days had passed when Valeria saw a few of her fellow pilots from the 87th MS Team lounging around in the recreation room. Time had allowed her to better cope with the sheer magnitude and repercussions of Operation British, but the shock was no less difficult to shrug off.

 _Just...do your duty. Don't lose it now!_ She sighed as she found herself a seat by the counter away from them. It wasn't as if she hated her team or had some grudge left over from the academy, not when the experience of combat had made them rather effective together. Rather, it's that she didn't feel particularly close to any of her teammates. _Especially when they could die in the next sortie…_

"Large and in charge? Duh. Where else would we be?" she heard Thomas Crowley boast aloud even from her spot to some female ship crew. "Have you been paying attention to how much Feddie ass we've kicked already? How much ass I'VE kicked? They might as well give up and go home before we embarrass them any further. It's starting to get downright pathetic."

While amused by the man's somewhat forced bravado, if rolling her eyes at how he fancied winning the war by himself, she instead glanced towards Pham Kim, who was seated close to a screen playing some pre-Universal Century musical. Born in the Lunar city of Grenada, she was more like Valeria herself, having experienced the Federation's harsh policies first-hand and decided to fight for Zeon. Since the gassings however, the other woman seemed to be in a nigh perpetual state of shock, as though she was just on the brink of losing her sanity. _Not that I could blame her._

It was then however that she saw one of her higher-ranking comrades, LTJG. Lenka Aarde sit by her and grabbing a beverage. In another age, perhaps, his dark skin color, hailing from his African ancestors, would have caused a few raised eyebrows among the others onboard, though most Spacenoids these days had by and large gone past such issues. Yet compared to the others, he seemed much more upbeat in how he poised himself. Something that nagged at the young pilot. _Hope I don't get court marshaled for this._

"Um, sir?" she finally spoke up to her teammate. "I have to know. Just, well, how do you keep that up?"

"That's easy, little one," Aarde replied in a deep yet calm voice as he grinned. "War is super depressing, yeah? Poison gas? Colony drops? All depressing. Someone's gotta be happy. Show everyone, hey, you don't have to be sad and mopey. Ya know?"

Stunned for a moment, she smiled despite it all. "Guess you're right, sir. But after what's happened and-"

Before she could continue, warning klaxons began sounding across the ship. The Federation, it seemed, was once again attempting to stop Operation British. But as she stood up to join the rest of the pilots, she felt an assuring pat from Aarde.

"No point moping around when there's still a war to win," he smiled before going ahead of her. "Let's stop those Feddies so we can all go home!"

While the young woman still felt rather conflicted, she still managed a smirk. "Yes sir!"

-o-

By the time Valeria's Zaku-II launched, the battle had already begun. Zeon and Federation ships were trading mega-particle cannon and anti-ship missile fire while swarms of Saberfish streaked towards her and her comrades, launching missiles of their own; it was evident that the fighters were not aiming for any one MS or ship in particular but simply hoping to catch some in the cloud of missiles. Quite a few of the Zakus making up the hastily set up defense were trying to shoot down those missiles even as the attack group, which she was a part of, surged forward to carve a bloody path through.

The mission, as with the previous sorties, was simple: Engage and destroy the enemy. Don't let them stop the colony. Operation British remained the key to winning this war. _Zeon's future is in your hands._ Then again, no one expected just that the entire EFSF 4th Fleet was present or that Admiral Tianem, its fleet commander was leading it in person until the very last minute. _Okay…not so simple._

With Crowley and Aarde left behind for the defense, she and Pham were left with the task of flying escort for Halder. As soon as the first Saberfish came into range, she and her partner opened fire but kept on going, crashing through their formations and obliterating fighters with Machinegun fire in the process. Given the Zaku's greater agility, it proved to be much easier to turn around and pop a few more of the fighters before they did the same.

But as she performed this maneuver, a transmission popped up on her comms.

 _*"This is the *crackle*...critical dam *hiss* Sieg Zeon!"*  
_  
Then silence.

One of the Musais, though mercifully not the _Holstein_ , had just exploded. A Feddie ship, whether a Salamis or a Magellan, got a lucky shot off with its mega-particle cannons. "Damn it," she swore aloud, being reminded of just how precarious their position was even with the power of the mobile suit. Still, she resolved to avenge her fallen countrymen as she and her team crashed through the next wave of fighters.

Amidst the chaos of the battle and a great many explosions, it didn't take too long before the enemy's fighter cover was broken and the attacking members of the 87th MS Team came upon one of the Feddie ship groups. Soon enough, the team's channel burst to life as Halder's voice came out of the comms.

 _*"I'll handle the Magellan. Caine, Pham, take down those Salamis cruisers, now!"*_

"Yes, sir!"

"Roger that, sir!" Valeria replied in turn as she readied the Sturm Faust her Zaku had been equipped with. A distant descendant of the RPGs and _Panzerfausts_ of the 20th Century AD, the one-shot weapon had limited ammo and was designed to take down enemy ships like the Salamis she was lining in her sights. Yet while she did so, she knew that it's entirely possible for some Saberfish to smash a missile into her back or for the Feddie ship's AA guns to land a lucky shot. _But I won't let them take out any more of my people!_ Even if it somehow managed to take her out, better it's just her that fell than potentially the entirety of a ship's crew.

 _And…there! Fire!_

Squeezing the trigger, she saw the rocket streaking through space towards its target, colliding with the Salamis just below its bridge. The ensuing explosion on contact ripped into the vessel and split it into two pieces that began drifting apart. If anyone were still alive on that thing, they wouldn't be for much longer. Before she could pat herself on the back, however, she found herself suddenly and quite forcefully rocked about in her Zaku's cockpit, multiple alarms sounding off all at once.

It seemed that the risk of taking a hit was very real after all, as a missile from a passing Saberfish squadron managed to strike her Zaku's shield, situated on her right arm; had it not been there Valeria might have lost more than just a piece of her MS. Smirking for a moment at her good fortune, she wasn't in the mood to give the enemy another chance to kill her. _Not this time._ Tossing away the spent Sturm Faust, she quickly brought her Machinegun to bear on the nearest fighters.

It proved to be a quick contest, especially as a large explosion marking where the Magellan Halder was targeting appeared on her screen. Similar successes were filling the comms from all across the battlefield, with many Feddie ships being destroyed, including the ones beginning to retreat.

The Zeon pilot took that moment to finally sit back and rest for a few seconds before setting her Zaku to return to the _Holstein_. The colony, while damaged, was still set to reach Earth orbit. And as detestable as the Operation British was, she still managed a bitter smile. Soon, if all went according to plan, the Federation would finally be pushed to peace and this war, which had already taken countless lives could end.

Still, she couldn't help but have a deep, sinking feeling that something was about to go wrong, which she tried to shrug off _._ That January 8, UC 0079 was about to go down in infamy. _Has to be the exhaustion again…has to be…_

"This has to work," she finally muttered aloud, to no one in particular. "Right?"

Her answer eventually came in the form of a large explosion in Australia.

* * *

ZeoNet is a news network in Side 3/Zeon and a reference to the Gihren's Greed series of strategy games.

In canon, the EFSF 4th Fleet suffered a 70% casualty rate in its failed attack during Operation British. Here however, the _entire_ 4th Fleet, including its commander Admiral Tianem, is wiped out. Which would be one of the other increasingly major changes from the canon UC timeline. Especially in what chronologically happens after: the Battle of Loum (Side 5).

While it's not explicitly stated in canon, it's implied that Gihren Zabi may have been the mastermind.

In addition, not only do you get to see Operation British in action, but you also see one of the first major differences from the "canon" UC timeline, even if the immediate outcome remains exactly the same. And in the spirit of Tomino's work and that of later Gundam writers, I also put more attention to the more brutal and grey aspects of war.


	5. Chapter 3-5: The Burden of Command

**_Sieg Zeon:_**

 ** _An Alternate Tale of the Universal Century_**

 _ **Chapter 3.5: The Burden of Command**  
_

It wasn't until January 10, UC 0079 that Operation British reached its final phase, the forward end of the empty colony entering the Earth's atmosphere at 08:00 GMT; not even a desperate, last-ditch attempt by the Earth Federation to stop it using nuclear weapons could stop what was by then inevitable. The damage sustained over the past few days, however, meant that parts of the colony broke up over the Arabian Peninsula at around 08:35 GMT, fragments scattering across parts of North America and the Pacific Ocean.

Except the colony, or what's left of it, never reached its intended target. Instead, at 08:41 GMT, the sky fell over Sydney, Australia. The resulting explosion – estimated at 60,000 megatons – wiped the city and the surrounding countryside permanently off the face of the planet. In all, 200 million lives were lost, with the "impact winter" expected to result in further casualties.

Operation British failed.

Vice Admiral Dozle Zabi frowned, his fists tightly gripping his table as he replayed the escort fleet's report in his office back in the homeland. 24 hours had barely passed since all of that happened, but the crushing dread was as fresh as when the first images of what was already considered one of the worst tragedies in human history appeared. Even the recent failure by Zeon forces to capture nominally neutral Von Braun – the first city to be built on the Moon and host to some of the largest production facilities outside of Earth – paled in comparison to such a disaster.

 _Damn it all! It wasn't supposed to be like this,_ the large-built man gritted in his mind as he tried in vain to calm down. As monstrous and drastic as the gassing was, to say nothing of the now moot plan to destroy Jaburo, he signed on to Operation British hoping that it would bring the Federation to its knees. _That it'd end this war!_ Instead, all it did was rack up the body count and tarnish Zeon's very honor. _Not to mention have those bastards out for our blood!_ If the recent intel was accurate, the EFSF's expected to launch an all-out attack from their space-based HQ in Luna 2, with the most likely spot with which to intercept them being at Side 5, Loum. _And if we don't stop them there…No! We won't lose face now!_

A knock on the door however snapped him out of his thoughts. Switching off the report, he cleared his throat as he stood.

"Come in!"

The door automatically opened, momentarily revealing the loud cacophony of staff and officers hastily making various plans to counter the Federation's nigh-inevitable counter-attack. Two men stepped into the office, saluting as the door closed behind them. One was an aging ship captain by the name of Martin Prochnow, while the blond, much younger man standing in attention to him was 1st Lt. Oliver May. Dozle recognized them as part of the 603rd Technical Evaluation Unit, sent on behalf of their superior, Schacht. _Which could only mean one thing._

"I wish these were more pleasant circumstances, but a pleasure to see you again!" the Zabi commander greeted with a cordial if tired smile he gestured them to move forward. "This isn't the time for formalities though, so if you don't mind, let's hear it."

Surprised for a brief moment, Oliver walked forward and took out a paper-thin screen from the folder handed to him by his older companion. The image on it showed the schematics and latest photos of a massive fusion plasma gun that had been years in the making. With an effective range of 300 km., in theory it could wipe out swathes of enemy ships before they could even put their own guns to bear.

"It's the QCX-76A Jormungand, sir. We've been making various improvements to the prototype's design since its completion. You have my word that it'll be ready for field-testing by the time we face the Federation at Loum."

Dozle however noticed a hint of hesitation in the young man's voice. "There's a 'but,' isn't there?"

The young engineer nodded. "Allow me to be straight, sir. Most of High Command doesn't seem interested in giving the Jormungand the necessary support craft needed for it to be effective out there. We've been given clearance but in all likelihood, we'd be shoved at the sidelines."

 _I could see why._ "It's the mobile suits, isn't it?" the imposing man sighed. "Those weapons have helped us beat those Federation bastards so far. But while yours is impressive on paper, how certain are you that it'll deliver? This _is_ more than just a field test, 1st Lt. May. Your life and those of your comrades will be on the line."

"I'm sure of it, Vice Admiral, sir!" Oliver replied with as much confidence as he could muster. "All it takes for this conflict to end is one decisive blow. Give us a chance, and I can guarantee that the Jormungand will help deliver it!"

Dozle's eyes furrowed for a few yet seemingly interminable seconds. Putting a more central role for the prototype cannon was an added risk to consider in given what's at stake in what was bound to be the largest battle in the war. After Operation British, Zeon was desperately in need of a clear victory, one that would redeem the Principality's honor. For the alternative was much worse, for if despair didn't do in the hope of Spacenoid independence, the Federation's might would. After all, those elites wouldn't be content with just reclaiming Side 3 or trying the likes of him for war crimes. _And make all those sacrifices for nothing…No, NO! Defeat is unacceptable!_

"Um, Vice Admiral Zabi, sir?"

Slamming his fists onto the table, it took a couple of moments for the man to notice the startled looks from his guests. Nonetheless, with a practiced flourish, he managed an assuring grin. "You'll be right at the thick of it, yes. But you'll have your support, gentlemen! I'll even have a couple MS teams guard your flanks, too if need be. Just deliver on that sales pitch and come out of this alive, you hear?"

"Gladly, sir! Sieg Zeon!"

The two guests nodded with evident relief before they saluted. As they left the office, however Dozle began thinking of various schemes and plans to make sure that the possibility of actually winning the imminent battle in Loum would be worth it. Even finding the right bait or bluff to get the EFSF's attention proved to be risky, especially when the most likely one involved repeating the same posturing for Operation British without actually going through with it.

His attention soon turned away from the folder left on his desk to a picture frame close by. In it was a photograph of himself with his beloved wife in less trying times. One would be hard pressed to recognize the pale blonde lady as having once been a volunteer academy officer from Moore, having long traded her cadet uniform for a noblewoman's dress. But even in that photo, her gentle smile betrayed the strength of will that attracted him to her in the first place. _To think soon…we'll actually be a family._

"Zenna," he murmured with a sad smile. Whether he liked it or not, there was blood on his hands. Still, he didn't struggle to earn his position the hard way – rather than just out of nepotism as a Zabi – just so he could give up on his countrymen, wife and child-to-be at Zeon's darkest hour. The future of mankind might very well depend on it.

 _I promise you. We will win this!_

* * *

It's mentioned in canon that Dozle Zabi, of all the Zabi siblings never had aspirations to seize power for himself and is much more of a career officer and family man, compared to, say, his brother Gihren.

Dozle's wife, Zenna Zabi, is revealed in the flashback arc of _Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin_ as being a cadet officer during Garma Zabi's time at the academy (alongside the man who would be known as Char Aznable); such was her strong will and firmness that she even dared to stall Dozle to help Garma. Her daughter with Dozle, Mineva, is yet to be born at this point but would play a much larger role in canon down the line.

The timeframe of Operation British's final phase is taken from Mark Simmons' compiled timeline of events.

The 603rd Technical Evaluation Unit, of which Oliver May and Martin Prochnow are part of, is from the _MS IGLOO_ OVAs. Its stated task is to manage, catalog and field-test various prototype weapons, though in canon a number of those "experimental" prototypes are actually rejects forced into service towards the latter part of the OYW as Zeon loses ground against the Federation.

As an aside, this chapter is rather different in that the focus is much more on the "strategy" side of the RP from the perspective of someone who'd be in a position to make such large decisions. Over 90% of the text is original, but still I made it a point to keep it as consistent and in-verse as possible.


	6. Chapter 4: The Battle of Loum

**_Sieg Zeon:_**

 ** _An Alternate Tale of the Universal Century_**

 ** _Chapter 4: The Battle of Loum_**

The Federation had actually taken the bait. That fact kept ringing in Valeria Caine's head as she made her way to the _Holstein_ 's crew lockers ahead even of her teammates; given the urgency and palpable anticipation around her, it never hurt to go one step ahead. Briskly changing out of her uniform and slipping into her green pilot suit – considerably tighter fitting compared to the bulkier, old astronaut-style "normal suits" others used to protect themselves in space – she still felt the same sense of relief even now, just a couple days after the sleight of hand became apparent. _To think I also fell for it_ , the young woman mused wryly as she saw more of her comrades in arms file in. _At least no more dropping colonies this time!_

By making the Feddies believe that Zeon was going to continue with Operation British, it seemed like there was no other choice but to deploy all their remaining fleets in an attempt to stop it at Side 5, Loum. But the bait, supposedly cooked up by Vice Admiral Dozle Zabi himself, was just part of a wider strategy. If all went according to plan, the coming battle would break the back of the EFSF and give the Principality an undisputed position of superiority over the Federation.

From there, perhaps sanity would finally prevail and a peace treaty could be made that'd end the Earthnoids' oppression of those who live in space. _Could it work though?_ She had to admit however, as she left for the briefing room, that for the first time since this war began, she might actually be excited.

 _A battle that could end the war that just so happens to be a straight up fight? No gas attacks? No colony drops?_

It's almost too good to be true. Valeria's enthusiasm dampened somewhat as she vaguely recalled a key detail that'd most likely pop up in what could be the final briefing. With Admiral Tianem dead with the rest of his fleet, it left the strong possibility that the Feddies would send their most competent and distinguished commander to take charge of the attack.

That thought alone caused her to frown. The face of Johann Ibrahim Revil, after all, wasn't unknown in Side 3, the man having made publicized visits to the homeland in in the years leading up to the war. But for all his grandfatherly façade, the general was considered incredibly talented even by Spacenoid standards.

 _And I don't think he'll be giving us victory on a silver platter either._ Even with the loss of the entire EFSF 4th Fleet helping give Zeon's combined forces more of an equal footing in terms of ships alone, the fact remained that Revil's presence alone would make winning the imminent battle even hard, if not force more drastic measures with all the talk of nuclear warheads on standby. Still, as the young pilot found her spot, she shrugged off that familiar sense of dread.

"Whatever happens," she murmured inaudibly just as the _Holstein_ 's captain entered. "I'll live through this!"

-o-

In one of the Zaku-II's onboard monitors, a live, if stuttering feed played that was being broadcast through the video and audio channels. The images alternated between the crews of the Jormungand cannon and the supply ship _Jotunheim_ , both commandeered by the 603rd Technical Evaluation Unit. Not even the growing effects of Minovsky Particle interference hindered the audible cheering as ships belonging to Zeon's combined forces advanced ahead. With several Chivvay-class heavy cruisers and even Vice Admiral Dozle Zabi's personal Gwazine-class battleship close by to ensure the rear wasn't compromised.

 _*"Receiving a transmission signal!"*_ One voice announced over the now-static laden images, most likely one of the crewmen on board the _Jotunheim_ reading a message from Dozle Zabi himself. * _"The result of this battle will be determined by you, the fleet, and your new weapon."*_

 _*"Respond: We are eagerly waiting for the fleet to send us the precise coordinates for the long-range attack. We give our thanks in advance."*_

All this however remained just that, in the screens and comms before Valeria, while she and the rest of the 87th MS Team remained on standby in the _Holstein_ 's hangar. _Not for much longer though._ Waiting for their cue as per the plan, the young woman took note of the date displayed in the live feed: January 15, UC 0079. 11:20 GMT. There was no going back, anymore.

True enough, the flickering images shifted to muted scenes showing the sleek shapes of Musais, Chivvays and Gwazines exchanging fire with their particle cannons and missiles, further underscored by the faint rumbling of the _Holstein_ 's own guns going off. She wasn't sure though which was more worrying. As tense anticipation, the fact that the use of nuclear warheads was greenlit or the growing sense that the Federation took the bait a tad _too_ well seemed to well in her all at once. Still, it disgusted her how the Feddies seemed so brazen as to position themselves so close to the colonies making up Loum.

Whether the enemy was waiting until the last minute to even consider evacuating the local Spacenoids or General Revil was that keen to call Zeon's bluff didn't matter much to Valeria, as either reason still meant collateral damage was inevitable. As she sighed however, the scene flickered once more to an exterior shot of the prototype cannon itself as its myriad mechanisms sprang to life. While she wasn't so vulgar as to comment on its phallic appearance, she had to admit it was an impressive piece of engineering with all its moving parts. _Here it comes…_

 _*"This is the Jormungand. Deployment complete. Coolant preparation complete. Have loaded the initial round. Awaiting data on enemy positions."*_

 _*"Acknowledged, Jormungand. Sending data now."*_

 _*"Data received. Taking aim. Firing in 3, 2, 1 . . ."*_

A bright flash of plasma-infused energy appeared on screen as the weapon fired, the ensuing blast soon destroying swathes of the enemy in the portion of space it fired at. The sight along caused the pilot to gape in shock, only for the Jormungand to soon fire a second time, destroying an advancing Feddie battle group before it could even get close to the massive gun. As the scene repeated a few more times, the pilot momentarily wondered how horrifying it must be to be on the receiving end of such a powerful weapon, only to shrug it off. _Better them than us._

Then at last, the firing and images ceased. The signal came.

 _*"This is Jormungand to all combat forces. Phase One of the Operation is complete! Commence Phase Two!"*_

 _*"This is Holstein to the 87th MS Team. You have clearance to engage! Good luck and good hunting!"*  
_

The time had come for the Mobile Suit to have its time in the sun. Following behind the rest of her teammates, the young woman took a deep breath. _Now or never!_

"Ensign Valeria Caine! Launching!"

With those words, she joined the nearly 500 Zaku-IIs being unleashed upon the EFSF's so-called First Combined Fleet. On first exiting the _Holstein's_ hangar, she was nearly overcome with shock at the sheer spectacle of what's going on before her very eyes. She knew this battle was going to be a large one – perhaps the largest one of its kind in space – yet seeing so many ships, fighter craft, and MS engaging each other all at once was a sight that could only be described as awe inspiring. All while her comms grew packed with so much chatter that it was difficult to even tell one apart from the other. _So this is war, then…  
_

She was thrown out of her momentary paralysis as a swarm of Saberfish headed towards her direction, only for the sudden appearance of a gigantic beam of energy to vaporize the glorified fighter jets as it cut through space towards a nearby Magellan. For those brief few moments before the enemy vessel exploded, she watched as the blast simply cored through it. _Seems like the Jormungand wasn't out of juice just yet, huh?_

Shaking free of the shock, Valeria charged right into the enemy's ranks. Like the vast majority of Zakus involved in this operation, she was once again equipped with the Machinegun and a Sturm Faust. _More than enough for me!_ There were simply so many more MS than Feddie ships that there was little need to restrict herself to the standard-issue Bazooka normally reserved for such targets.

Around her meanwhile, more Saberfish than she could count were engaging with Zeon's own Gobble craft in vicious dogfights while fellow MS pilots were laying waste to the Federation's forces left, right, and center. Every now and then, the Jormungand would fire another shot or an occasional ace – including a red-painted Zaku-II – passed through towards their prey. These were things that, as a soldier, even she couldn't help but feel a bit of pride in.

However, not everything present at this battle was as promising. In the distance, she witnessed a few more explosions that were evidently nuclear in nature. On top of this, she saw with growing dread how many of Side 5's colonies were already in a terrible state, some appearing as though they were merely glass cylinders smashed upon the ground. Even in the thick of battle and the constant threat of enemy fire, she wondered how many civilians must have died by then, be from an unlucky stray shot or from the Federation's neglect.

 _This is war, then. All this…no…NO!_

She refused to fall into despair. The sight only drove Valeria to fight harder so that she might try to save those colonies that weren't yet been ruined by all of the fighting. _And make those Feddies pay for their hubris!  
_  
"Out of my way!" she gritted as she gunned down a Saberfish that was in her way, downing it as though it were merely an insect. _Small and insignificant._ After using up the Sturm Faust on the blue hull of a nearby Salamis, she began copying the tactics she'd seen other MS pilots used, either firing at the missile launchers to trigger secondary detonations or strafing the ships' bridges themselves. _Anything to bring them down as quickly as possible._ At the very least, the pain would be quick.

Eventually, the Zeon pilot lost count of how many ships she had taken down with such methods; in the thick if the action, it was even becoming harder to reconcile her sense of time with what her console's clock read. Still, had become apparent that the Federation visibly was pulling back. Against her growing exhaustion – and the growing sense that she was beginning to enjoy this a bit too much – she continued dodging enemy fire towards a small group of vessels that was evidently the rear guard. But as the last Magellan in that group was destroyed from another passing Zaku-II, the name _Nereid_ momentarily visible on the vessel before exploding, she set her sights on a crippled Salamis that still tried to aim its particle cannons at her.

"This ends now, you fucking sons of-"

 _*"Caine, hold your fire!"*_ her superior Halder's voice rang through the comms. * _"We just got word that a team calling itself the Black Tri-Stars just captured Gen. Revil! The Feddies are calling for a surrender!"*_

"Sir?" Valeria gasped in surprise as the implications of those words began sinking in. "We defeated them, Sir?!"

There was a faint, relieved chuckle from across the link. * _"Just make sure they don't do anything stupid. But rest easy, Caine. You deserve it. We all do."*_

For once, she smiled as she sat back in her Zaku's cockpit. "Yes, sir!"

While the EFSF's First Combined Fleet wasn't totally destroyed, it might as well have been as far as anyone's concerned. While no doubt Zeon suffered casualties as in any battle, the Federation losses, Valeria mused, could only ever be described as catastrophic. _They'd be foolish to think they could still fight on after this!_ Still, there was reason for her to feel optimistic and relieved.

She checked the date. It was the early morning of January 16. After several hours of intense fighting, the Battle of Loum was over.

 _And I'm still alive to see it._ Victory never felt any more sweet. Zeon had won.

* * *

General Johann Ibrahim Revil is a significant figure in the original series and the canon OYW in general, being not only the defacto head of the not only the EFSF but a major leader in the Federation military's High Command in general. Compared to most other Federation commanders however, he's known not only for his competence but also for his generally noble demeanor and good nature. His actions however following the Battle of Loum prove to have lasting, unintended consequences for good and ill.

As in canon (and covered in further detail in _Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin_ ), Gen. Revil was captured as he escaped the destruction of his personal flagship by a MS Team known as the Black Tri-Stars. And yes, Char Aznable made a brief appearance.

The timeframe of the Battle of Loum, including the reference to the Magellan-class battleship _Nereid_ , is based on Mark Simmons' compiled timeline of events. Due to the differences brought about by the prior destruction of Admiral Tianem's fleet in this version of events however, things don't quite turn out exactly the same as in canon.

The 603rd Technical Evaluation Unit, is from the _MS IGLOO_ OVAs. Its stated task is to manage, catalog and field-test various prototype weapons, though in canon a number of those "experimental" prototypes are actually rejects forced into service towards the latter part of the OYW as Zeon loses ground against the Federation.

Compared to the original RP text and narrative segments for the Battle of Loum, quite a few liberties and changes were made for pacing and streamlining, in addition to expounding the original material. For instance, I made it a point to emphasize how much more integral the Jotunheim prototype is in the RP version of events by having even Valeria be aware of it; which is in contrast to the RP narration where she wasn't even aware the Jotunheim existed mid-battle until she saw the shots. Still, I try to retain the same spirit and tone of the source material.


	7. Chapter 5: Hopes and Promises

**Author's Notes:** Just as a precaution, this chapter is a bit suggestive especially given how in the RP text, Valeria did follow her mother's "advise."

* * *

 ** _Sieg Zeon:_**

 ** _An Alternate Tale of the Universal Century_**

 ** _Chapter 5: Hopes and Promises_**

 _*"…The recently declared Riah Republic, has offered all of Side 6 as neutral ground for Zeon and Federation officials to pursue further efforts to broker an end to hostilities. This comes in the wake of a press statement from Sovereign Degwin Zabi, expressing his hopes that lasting peace could soon be achieved, as the late Zeon Deikun would have wanted. In other news, celebrations continue across…"*_

Valeria Caine grudgingly woke up to the sounds of a TV carelessly left on, her blurred eyes quickly adjusting to the dimmed lighting. According at the clock displayed on the screen, it was early morning. Even with what felt like a nagging discomfort in her head, it didn't take long before she found her bearings in what looked like a dormitory room at the wrong part of the barracks, though from the looks of the mess it might as well have been a motel room from the middle-era.

 _*"…The 603rd Technical Evaluation Unit, the operators of the Jormungand cannon that performed spectacularly in Loum, were awarded earlier today with multiple commendations at the behest of Vice Admiral Dozle Zabi…"*_

 _The hell happened last night?_ The young woman groaned silently as she sat up, feeling a sudden chill in the air. Looking down she found her answer, the light from the TV illuminating her pale, bare skin. Fully awake, she glanced at the sleeping man beside her, his face while somewhat cute still showing exhaustion. _Don't tell me…no!_

Her face reddened profusely. A part of her wondered, as she carefully got out of the bed, just what possessed her to take a few drinks too many during the celebrations that followed the rousing return to the homeland. Or just what kind of antics her mother was involved in back in her day to suggest letting herself "go wild every now and then" was a good idea. At the very least she didn't feel anything out of the ordinary with her body, save perhaps for a slight aching or vague recollections of pleasure. _Though it was fun, I guess...Damn it, focus!_ Of course, training and experience meant that putting on her clothing took about as fast as whatever led her to take them off. Still, it took much effort not to recall the finer details. _I'd rather not overstay my welcome!_

*"… _The convoy has come into view, ladies and gentlemen. This is history in the making! For the first time in this Universal Century, the giant that is the Federation has been humbled…"*_

As Valeria fixed the last button on her uniform however, she noticed that the TV was now rerunning an earlier ZeoNet report on the public "parade" Gihren Zabi had arranged for the captive Gen. Revil, still in his uniform from Loum; no doubt by now, such broadcasts were being aired all across the Earth Sphere. A part of her felt a pang of sympathy at how utterly degrading it must have been for such a distinguished officer to be made a fool, if the grim look on the old man's face suggested anything. Then again, it wasn't everyday that her countrymen could to vent their just anger at the enemy commander in person. _He deserved it, after all._

With one last glance at the screen and a scoff, she put on her boots and, as quietly as she could muster, briskly left the room. The last thing she wanted was some awkward conversation with a stranger she never even saw back in academy. To her momentary surprise, out of the building and into the slightly chilly fresh air – or as close to fresh air as the homeland's "closed-type" colonies could manage – proved easier than expected, not with all the scattered after-parties that could still be heard. Nor the night shift MPs conveniently looking the other way if not having a hangover they'd regret once their rounds were done.

 _Don't we all?_ To say that spirits were at an all time high across the Principality was an understatement; it made no difference whether it was on a ship or in the homeland when it came to celebrations. But such was the unquestioned, sorely needed victory at Loum that she couldn't blame anyone for getting caught up in the euphoria. _Myself included, though not so wild next time…_

Even after all the carnage, horrors and deaths that had happened over just the past few weeks – of which Valeria herself had at least some part in – the young pilot couldn't help but smile as she walked back to her part of the barracks. There was ample time to get back to her quarters before daybreak, or rather the luminescent lighting sequence that passed for it in Zeon, while her leave wasn't technically set to be in effect for another six hours or so. Beyond that, she mused, she could more seriously entertain prospects for a better future, perhaps even an honorable discharge once things quiet down and the Feddies surrender.

Whichever way, truly peace and absolute victory were at hand. _I hope…_

-o-

It was January 28, UC 0079. The _Holstein_ had only returned to base an hour earlier from a routine patrol – with the EFSF virtually non-existent outside of its remaining strongholds, there'd barely been any skirmishes to break the monotony – when the latest news broke regarding Gen. Revil's escape. What began as rumors barely a week earlier turned to shock, which became anger as a manhunt was launched to find him and whoever broke him from captivity. To the frustration of many however, it had been in vain.

 _*"…For those of you joining us, it has been confirmed that Gen. Johann Ibrahim Revil is no longer in Zeon territory and is believed to be en route to enemy territory. The Public Safety Department has also apprehended many of those believed to be responsible for the Federation POW's bold escape in an abandoned apartment block, the remainder having been gunned down in the subsequent shootout…"*_

"Traitors, the whole lot of them!" Valeria heard someone cry out in the crowded mess hall as she continued watching the screens. "Our friends didn't die just so those damn Feddie lovers could weigh their souls down by Earth's gravity!"

A part of her vaguely recalled an old Anno Domini phrase about thirty pieces of silver. _You're right on that, Judas._ Still, after all the Earth Federation had done to those who lived in space, she couldn't possibly fathom how anyone would be so foolish as to willingly aid those same oppressors. And from the looks of the people around her, she wasn't alone in thinking that.

Nonetheless, she knew, negotiations were still ongoing between Zeon and the Federation that would at last put an end to the war. Delegates from both sides had since moved the venue from Side 6 to the still-frigid continent of Antarctica on Earth itself. Even with the news surrounding the escape, the networks maintained a live ticker on just how close the diplomats were to signing what was hoped to be the definitive treaty; word down the grapevine was that if all went well, it could be signed today. Common sense had to prevail. _It has to!_

Then once more, reality set in.

 _*"We interrupt this segment to bring you breaking news,"*_ the ZeoNet newscaster reported with a look that screamed concern. * _"A live feed has been intercepted from an undisclosed location, being transmitted on all Earth Federation channels – This just in: By order of Rear Admiral Kycilia Zabi, we're to broadcast that feed, believed to be from Luna II, momentarily and in full. Patching in now."*_

Within a moment, every screen flickered to reveal a hastily furnished pressroom filled with Feddies. In the midst of them, standing behind a lectern with the EFSF's insignia was none other than Gen. Revil himself in full uniform. The sudden silence that fell upon everyone watching the scene in that mess hall was broken when the escaped captive opened his mouth.

 _*"Fellow Earth Federation citizens! I appeal to you all,"*_ the old man intoned, his voice firm for his age yet betraying more than a hint of rage. * _"Zeon is exhausted! It is low on troops! Low on ships, weapons, and even ammunition! Why then should we surrender?"*_

Valeria was stunned as the defeated commander began a stern yet rousing litany against Zeon and even his erstwhile leaders in the Federation. She had to admit that despite the General spoke with conviction and measured diction, reflecting the sort of military lineage that was perhaps as diverse as his name.

 _*"…Degwin Zabi must not be allowed to justify his vision of Zeon because of corruption in one part of our Federation. His words are the dogma of a man plotting a dynasty of Zabi dictators on Zeon. Even if we recognize the existence of the Zeon dictatorship, that in no sense means we must also sink to our knees before it! The Earth Federation is a government, founded on the premise of sovereign individual rights. Mankind was able to advance into outer space as a result of the Federation government, which is itself a crystallization of all mankind's accumulated knowledge and experience…."*_

It was one thing to slander the ruling Zabi family, for all their flaws, or to make such bold lies about the Federation. Yet as the speech went on, it became apparent just how much those words betrayed immense bitterness and spite, as well as a fervent support of the very status quo Spacenoids sought to escape from, even as he feigned to loathe his own superiors. Whatever respect she still had evaporated as he began using not only Gihren Zabi's bluff – some of the alleged quotes seeming more like mad lies made up on the spot – but also the immense deaths wrought by Operation British as though he were twisting a knife on what was still a fresh, painful collective wound. All so he and his fellow Feddies could exact their vengeance, however much they may try to mask it under a supposed moral high ground. _Do they really think that they could actually win?!_

 _*"…_ _Fellow citizens! Listen to what I say! Gihren's threats are a mere bluff. Unworthy as I am of my good fortune, I was captured rather than killed by Zeon forces, and thus was afforded the opportunity to see the Zeon nation first-hand. I therefore can assure you that the people of Zeon are exhausted, and there is no way they can possibly strengthen their forces enough to carry out their threats. So I say to you, Gihren Zabi, if you think you can send Luna II crashing to Earth, well then, go ahead and try!_

 _"Zeon's strength was expended in the Battle of Loum. There is no way they can create soldiers overnight, and Gihren Zabi knows it. I therefore appeal to all the citizens of the Earth Federation, to each and every one of you. Zeon is exhausted! Now is not the time for us to kneel before Zeon. It is time for us to rise! Now, more than ever, is our chance to defeat Zeon!"*_

"That _fucking liar_!" Valeria finally snapped aloud as she walked out of the hall as it erupted into chaos. She wasn't sure what would happen first, whether she'd lose it altogether or the Feddie delegates in Antarctica start getting ideas. For at that moment, against her increasingly desperate if not distant hopes of peace in her time, she knew deep down that the promise of quick victory had just been dashed by Gen. Revil. But after all that had happened, she wasn't going to let that old man's treachery go unanswered. Not her, nor the rest of her fellow Spacenoids.

 _Even it means taking the fight to them!_ If the Federation really wanted war that badly, then they would have it.

"I hope they're _ready_."

* * *

General Johann Ibrahim Revil is a significant figure in the original series and the canon OYW in general, being not only the defacto head of the not only the EFSF but a major leader in the Federation military's High Command in general. Compared to most other Federation commanders however, he's known not only for his competence but also for his generally noble demeanor and good nature. His actions however following the Battle of Loum prove to have lasting, unintended consequences for good and ill. As seen in his "Zeon is Exhausted" speech.

The "Riah Republic" is the result of Side 6 wanting to stay neutral in canon over the course of the One Year War, and is suspected to have been a partially successful attempt by Zeon early on to stir pro-independence sentiment.

The general flow of events is based on Mark Simmons' compiled timeline. Due to the differences brought about previously, some of the changes from canon start to be a bit more evident.

Also, in UC canon it's not unheard of to refer to the AD era as either the "middle era" or even "middle ages," to contrast it to the Universal Century.

Side 3/Zeon is the only one that utilizes the "closed-type" variation of the O'Neill Cylinder design compared to the other Sides.

the Public Safety Department is a reference to the manga The _Plot to Assassinate Gihren_ , a crime/political thriller set towards the end of the One Year War notable for taking inspiration from the real-life Operation Valkyrie plot against Hitler.

The differences from canon continue making their presence felt even if still rather subtle at this point, such as with the infamous "Zeon is Exhausted" speech, though the outcome is the same: the war continues and what would have been the peace treaty that would have ended it becomes the Antarctic Treaty.

Compared to the RP text, this is substantially expanded upon though still keeping true to the original material, both to give a bit more characterization to Valeria and to show a snippet of how things were like in Zeon during that particular period, when it seemed that absolute victory was certain. In addition it's also an opportunity to show how, even in the changing turn of events from canon, the likes of Valeria and her countrymen would react to the "Zeon is Exhausted" speech in contrast to the Federation.

In addition, to better synchronize the RP timeframe and the canon one, I had the "Zeon is Exhausted" speech happen on January 28, though the Antarctic Treaty is still signed on January 31.


	8. Chapter 5-5: The Die is Cast

**_Sieg Zeon:_**

 ** _An Alternate Tale of the Universal Century_**

 ** _Chapter 5.5: The Die is Cast_**

At the very heart of the Principality of Zeon lay what was officially called the Sovereign's Palace. An imposing, almost alien-looking monument built in the of the capital, Zum City, it was also meant to signify the power of the ruling Zabi family. On any given day, one would find myriad bureaucrats, couriers, military personnel, Royal Guards and even nobles – or as close to "nobility" Zeon had, though some were descended from the wealthier "founding" families of Side 3 – on some business or other.

It was another story in the Palace's private quarters, where some semblance of calm still remained. Or at least, to a point. For even away from the public eye, alone in a large if rather austere personal office, the burdens Degwin Sodo Zabi bore as Sovereign never ceased. The aging leader wasn't one to rely too much on secretaries or aides if something was still within his capacity to do, though it was little consolation given the magnitude of recent events. _I'm truly getting too old for this_ , he mused grimly with a slight cough as he once more looked over his copy of the so-called Antarctic Treaty, signed a few days earlier on January 31, UC 0079. _A glorified "rules of engagement" if there ever was one!_

What upset him even now weren't the patronizingly worded, albeit humane clauses or the prohibition of nuclear, biological and chemical weapons; not when Zeon's armies centered more around mobile suits, which proved decisive to Loum's now-bittersweet victory. Rather, what angered the man – the kind of anger he rarely ever showed to others, even to his children – was the fine print. For it gave the Earth Federation enough leverage to utilize one of its greatest assets: Time. Time to utilize its immense resources, manpower and potentially even begin making its own MS. The longer this war dragged on, he feared, the likelier the possibility that the Federation might turn the tide. _Or worse, make sure our struggle for independence never happens again. Ever._ All because of a spiteful commander who chose petty vengeance over reason and stubborn Earthnoids whose souls were weighed down by gravity refusing to accept an honorable peace when it was offered on a silver platter.

 _Damn you Revil! If not for you, this war would be over!_

A series of knocks on the door cut off Degwin's train of thought as he tried to compose himself. From the pattern of the sounds, he knew that it had to be from his family rather than an aide or some uninvited bureaucrat.

"You can enter." As he said this, the door opened to reveal a redheaded woman in a semi-formal dress walking in with a set of various documents. Even without her customized purple Admiral's uniform, his only daughter not only poised herself as the consummate professional she'd molded herself to be, but also acted like it, if to a rather excessive degree.

"Father," Kycilia Zabi greeted with a hint of warmth as she nodded to the Sovereign, which contrasted with her otherwise stern demeanor. She'd come a long way from her days as a rookie officer back when Zeon Deikun himself was still alive. Approaching the desk, she presented several folders, images and even interactive maps. "You'll be glad to know that the Earth Attack Force will soon be more than in name only. I can guarantee that if all goes as scheduled, we can invade Earth as soon as March."

"Don't underestimate the Federation, though. Contemptuous as the lot is, even without mobile suits or WMDs, the enemy will have what people in the middle-era called the 'home field advantage.' Surely we would be foolish to go into this without some exit strategy or backup plan."

"Yes. I will not discount the probability of casualties, such is war. But while victory won't come easily, it's a risk that we _must_ take."

Of course, Degwin knew as he skimmed through the documents, while the EAF was announced only a day after the Antarctic Treaty, there were contingencies made even before the war in the event that Zeon would be forced to not just take the fight to the very gates of Jaburo, but also claim parts of the planet in the process. _As much as I questioned those ideas back then._ Nonetheless, the Sovereign had to admit just how rapid and organized the whole affair was proceeding, from logistics to R &D investment in such things as amphibious MS and massive fortress-planes that could cross whole continents. He had little doubts that Kycilia had a hand in pushing this along so efficiently, though she was by no means the only Zabi who had a hand in drafting the plans. It sometimes reminded him of her brother Gihren, albeit not to the same level of ruthlessness or charisma; then again, his willingness to overlook his more ambitious children's antics was both a blessing and curse. _Though I do hope both of you don't go overboard, for all our sakes._

He was also aware, however that there's more to invading Earth than modifying – if not inventing – vehicles and weapons, mining the planetside resources required to keep the war effort or selecting which parts of the world to make landfall in the first place. Many lives, after all were being put at stake, which may never return home to space if something were to go wrong. _Especially my own flesh and blood, including…_

"What of Garma?" he finally asked as he turned to meet his daughter's eyes. "Last I heard he was making a PR visit to Pezun. Hasn't he reconsidered his appointment in leading the EAF? Surely Dozle would be better placed to handle this."

"Dozle is too much of a buffoon for this kind of undertaking. Besides, Garma insisted that his position stays. Though I do admit it makes for good morale at the very least."

"Is that how you view your own _little brother_ , Kycilia?"

"You know he's no longer a child, Father. He has much yet to learn if he's to be a man worthy of the Zabi name. But – If he truly wishes to prove himself for all to see, take heart that he won't be alone."

The aging patriarch noticed the pause and the momentary look of genuine concern that broke through her façade. _So you still care, after all._ Even if it was just a split-second, it was enough to warm his weakened heart. Whatever faults she had – especially compared to Gihren – at least she still held dearly the value of family, even if it was only for himself and his youngest son. It was a reminder of simpler, if perhaps poorer times, before the Zabis ever became nobles. Back when they were much closer as a family, when they were little more than political dissidents who became close to the visionary the very Principality was named after; while he personally didn't buy wholesale into Zeon Zum Deikun's proverbs about Newtypes, he still admired his boldness. Only to remember that those days were never coming back. _We can only move forward._

"I see. Then promise me that you'll do your best to help Garma and the EAF succeed," he finally replied before giving an approving, if weak nod. "Perhaps it's my old age, but if there was any other choice, I wouldn't want to put him in the line of fire. He has much to look forward to beyond this war. Just as I wouldn't want Zeon's people to suffer this war any longer than is necessary, even if honor demands it. Can we win this, Kycilia?"

The Rear Admiral allowed a sharp, yet confident smile to line her face before turning away. "You can trust me when the time comes, Father. The Earth Drop Operations will be a success. They _have_ to be."

As Degwin's daughter left him alone once more – and more importantly, bringing his tacit acceptance with her – he set the documents aside and stood up, turning to a nearby window which overlooked the Palace's gardens. No doubt somewhere down there, Gihren was likely using whatever spare time he had indulging in botany – or if the rumors were true, a young but talented secretary named Cecilia Irene. _The less I know about his "suggestions," the better…_

Then, with a heavy sigh his gaze turned to the skyline of the colony encompassing the horizon. Zeon indeed had come far in such a short span of time. _And it could all be taken away if this fails...No!_ Perhaps it was his sense of honor, naked ambition or some blend of both, but he wasn't going to allow the Federation to have its way with what had been accomplished. After all, he'd seen so much more happen over the decades, and had played a role in more than a few of those events, from Side 3's first stirrings of autonomy to the rise of the Principality. Regardless of the truth surrounding Deikun's death or the "purging" of loyalists that was instigated under Gihren's orders, in the end it's pointless to take back what couldn't be undone. _We did what we thought was necessary._ An ancient phrase from the days of Caesar came to mind: _Alea iacta est_.

"Yes," the Sovereign weakly mumbled, seemingly to no one. "The Rubicon was crossed long ago. But wherever you are now, Deikun, know that we Spacenoids _will_ prevail. Nothing less will do."

The Zabis didn't get to where they were for being weak. But deep down he hoped that those words would still ring true. And soon. _Don't make me regret this._

* * *

The Antarctic Treaty is the treaty that should have ended the war if not for Gen. Revil's spanner in the works. Instead, in both canon and the RP, the treaty bans the use of what we would call "weapons of mass destruction," further Operation British-esque colony drops and generally serves as "rules of engagement" for the rest of the war.

Zeon's "Earth Attack Force" or EAF is the official name given to the military forces that would be formally under Garma Zabi's command on Earth. The actual invasion of the planet, which is suggested as having been planned in advance as a contingency, would be known as the Earth Drop Operations.

The general flow of events is based on Mark Simmons' compiled timeline. In addition, elements of the Zabis' background are based on various Gundam works, including a few broad allusions to _The Origin_.

Kycilia Zabi is among the more ambitious (and the second most villainous) of the Zabi siblings, alongside her brother Gihren. In canon, she's mentioned as having the rank of Rear Admiral. But also is in charge of Zeon's intelligence services (especially her personal "Secret Agency") and responsible for the creation of various MS units like the Midnight Fenrir and later on in the One Year War, the Chimera Corps and Char Aznable's "Newtype Corps."

Cecilia Irene is Gihren Zabi's personal secretary (also rumored to be his mistress), who's known to be as cold, calculating and evil as her "boss." Gihren's fascination for gardens and botany meanwhile is a nod to _The Origin._

Also, in UC canon it's not unheard of to refer to the AD era as either the "middle era" or even "middle ages," to contrast it to the Universal Century.

The title itself ( _Alea iacta est_ in Latin) is a nod to a quote attributed to Julius Caesar, which has come to roughly mean "a point of no return" and inspire a similar phrase, "Crossing the Rubicon."


	9. Chapter 6: The Calm Before the Storm

**_Sieg Zeon:_**

 ** _An Alternate Tale of the Universal Century_**

 ** _Chapter 6: The Calm Before the Storm_**

Valeria sighed on her seat as the shuttle she was in prepared for its final approach to Solomon. Even from her window, she managed to catch the familiar glint of Zaku-IIs on patrol as well as myriad supply ships heading in the same direction. She recalled how the massive fortress, created out of a repurposed mining asteroid, was still technically under construction.

 _Especially with all those Jormungands being strapped on to it_ , she thought, more to keep herself calm and momentarily distracted as to why she was here. _These days though, you can never be too sure. Not with those Feddie bastards.  
_

With the announcement of the Earth Attack Force a few days earlier – led by none other than Garma Zabi, no less – Zeon's military was being reshuffled to establish this new branch, and she was among those selected to be in it. But with Lt. Halder also ordered to remain back in the homeland to help train new recruits, the 87th MS Team was dissolved. By some twist of fate, none of the others would remain together, with each and every single one sent to separate teams, her included. The young woman couldn't help but feel a bit saddened by this news even now, though she hadn't known Aarde, Crowley, Pham or her superior for very long. Perhaps one day, their paths might cross again, hopefully when this war was over.

 _If they're still alive by then. Right?_

Her thoughts were broken however as she saw and felt the shuttle land inside one of Solomon's main hangars. With as little fuss as she managed, Valeria stood up and grabbed her bags before leaving the spacecraft and heading towards what passed for the fortress' main entrance. Along the way however, she could already overhear some female soldiers among other would-be EAF transfers saying utterly improper comments about how they'd wish to be ordered about by Garma, only for her to scoff at such fantasies. _If I wanted to indulge in such things, I wouldn't be here!_ After all, she had her fill of pleasurable escapades for the foreseeable future. _And I'm not in any rush to go wild...damn it, focus!_

Still, as the young pilot was briskly given directions as to where she would meet with her new team, she couldn't help but wonder as she looked at the scribbled card on her free hand. _Maybe I should consider finding a boy…no, that's crazy talk!_

Wandering down the myriad hallways, steel corridors and hollowed-out chambers – all while doing her best to look like she knew where she was heading – Valeria eventually found herself entering one of the fortress' gyms. As she quietly dropped her belongings by the door, she noticed two men working out, if having a sparring match could be considered "working out." _Did I come to the right place?_ While she found the sight of two men seemingly play-acting like pugilists from the middle-era unusual, she wasn't about to give a poor first impression as she crisply stood in attention and waited.

Eventually, the men stopped their "exercise" and noticed her. The older of the two, a pale, dark haired officer who seemed to be in his thirties, walked towards the female pilot with an aura that seemed at once casual and purposeful, which reminded her somewhat of the Royal Guard detachments she'd seen from afar. The look from his green eyes as he removed his gloves, however told her that this veteran had seen a lot more action than he let on; for all she knew, he could have been not only among the first cadets who signed on to what was now Zeon's military, but had been there to try out the very first MS. _Can't disappoint now!_

"You must be Ensign Caine. I'm Lt. Emerson and over there is 2nd Lt. Sorris," the man noted in a calm, professional tone as he gestured over to his younger colleague, a man closer to her age of apparently Asian descent, who in turn responded by offering a slight bow. "Have to say, you're ahead of schedule."

"Thank you, sirs! I await your orders!" she replied crisply as she saluted in a similarly prompt if rehearsed motion.

The older officer responded with a chuckle, which surprised her more than it should have. This was definitely different from how her induction into the 87th MS Team was like, especially given Lt. Halder and his preference for protocol. Not only that, but it seemed like the new MS Teams being formed were smaller than she expected, each being comprised of three instead of five as in her previous assignment.

"Um, sir?"

"You can cut that shit out with us, Caine. Truth be told, I'm not that big on formalities these days," the man shrugged, his tone much more casual yet still with an air of authority. "So if you want, you can go ahead and call me Duncan, and the guy with the stick up his ass Kazuki. Just don't make him angry or he might pull it out and beat the shit out of you with it."

Valeria watched as the younger man gave his superior a slight glare that quickly turned into a smirk. _He must be a man of few words._ Despite herself, she couldn't help but chuckle as much as she tried to force it back _. I'm starting to like them already!_

"You're more than welcome to introduce yourself, by the way," she then heard her new commanding officer continue. "We've all got to look after each other, especially where we're going."

 _Nothing ventured, nothing gained right? What do I have to lose?_ As she relaxed from her standing in attention, she returned the favor. "Ah, my name is Valeria. And, um, I'm honored to be a part of your team, Duncan."

To her surprise, the man smiled as he offered his hand to her, which she gladly shook.

"Well then, Valeria. Welcome to the 12th MS Team, 1st Terrestrial Mobile Division."

At the back of her mind, she wondered whether this small turn of events was an omen of things to come.

-o-

Two weeks had passed since Valeria Caine was assigned to the 12th MS Team. Like many others in the newly established EAF, she and her teammates spent much of that time training for combat on Earth in a part of Side 2, Hatte. More specifically, in one of the colonies that had been depopulated as a part of Operation British. Even after having long reconciled with the painful reality that it happened at all, it was still ever so slightly unnerving just being in an abandoned landscape where people once lived.

 _At least it's been cleaned up. Not that it's saying much_ , she thought grimly while checking the interactive map and scanner suites on her Zaku-II's console, only to remember to put a bit more force into her MS' movement _._ _Right. We're not fighting in space for this one._

Granted, the MS she was using was tweaked so as to better simulate performance in Earth's gravity. But because of her model's design, a lot of this training's more suited to urban warfare, especially with all the abandoned and partly damaged buildings surrounding her, than the kind of combat she'd most likely see. She knew that a lot of those battles would be out in the open, as the planet wasn't nearly as populated as it was before the construction of the colonies. _And the Feddies aren't in any mood to change their minds either. If not for that deceitful old..._

 _*"Valeria! Get your head out of your ass and take the target to your left!"*_

The comms crackling to life snapped her out of her thoughts. "Yes, sir!"

As the Zeon pilot advanced on her objective – an unmanned Type 61 MBT left behind by the local garrison – she couldn't help but smirk upon hearing Duncan audibly groan; after all, he hated it when she called him "sir," even though it was more out of force of habit, than anything else. _Usually.  
_  
"Alright," she murmured to herself as she got a clear visual on the target. "Here we go."

Having primed her Machinegun, modified to fire lasers rather than live rounds, she pulled the trigger and watched as the ensuing "shots" proceeded to leave noticeable scorch marks on the double-barreled tank's turret. A direct hit, or at least as close one could get with using such glorified flashlights. _It's like the academy all over again._ According to the history books, weaponized lasers like what her MS was carrying were more commonplace back in the early UC years. But while the development of anti-laser coating over time diminished their effectiveness, these days the only practical use of lasers that didn't involve making them too massive was in two-way communication; like drones and precision-guided missiles, Minovsky Particles rendered their use in warfare obsolete. _But if not for that...Right. Stay focused!_

Quickly looking about, Valeria spotted a set of fragile, helicopter-style drones attempting to move in behind her; even with their guns modified to fire paint rounds, they served more as moving target practice than anything else. _Nice try!_ Using her MS' thrusters to move from building to building, she nimbly kept herself out of any potential enemy fire and shot all of them down with almost pinpoint precision, one of the burning vehicles even crashing into a partially caved-in apartment. While she didn't take any particular joy in combat or how she seemed to be becoming more skilled at it, she still allowed herself a soft smile. _I wouldn't even be here if I didn't get better at this._

 _*"That's some good shooting!"*_ Duncan commented approvingly on the comms before clearing his throat. * _"But keep your head in the game, Valeria. Those damn Feddies definitely won't be a crapshoot like in Loum,_ _when we finally set out feet on their front door_ _. But so long as we stick together and do our duty, we'll be fine. Besides, I don't think we need more martyrs to the cause. Commander Garma has a lot on his plate already!"*_

"Understood, sir-I mean, Duncan. I won't let you down!" _I hope…_

There was an audible, if noticeably bemused sigh. * _"I knew you'd say that. Just cover Kazuki's ass, over. He's taken a liking to melee, lately."*_

"I noticed," Valeria smirked as she glanced to her right to find her teammate trying to destroy a set of Type 61s with the super-heated blade of his Zaku-II's Heat Hawk. While the axe-shaped weapon was designed to make mincemeat of anything from tanks to ships and potentially other MS, she preferred simply shooting the enemy over such close-in encounters, and not just because it's playing to her strengths either. _It's easier to kill that way._

Even as she took up an overwatch position, she sighed as her thoughts once more turned to the coming Earth Drop Operations. With all the preparations made over the past few weeks alone – not to mention the talk down the grapevine of using captured mass drivers on the Moon to target any anti-air systems that could intercept the EAF from Earth – the next step of the war could happen as soon as March. But whether the order would come tomorrow or a month from now, Duncan's right. They'll all be entering an uncharted battlefield, one where the Federation still had an advantage. Nonetheless, she shook her head and focused on her task for the moment. So long as she and her teammates had each others' backs, they'd have a chance to live well past their first day on the planet. _I've had no intentions of dying then. And I'm not going to give up now!  
_  
She and the 12th MS Team were about to undertake a path that would lead them to many harrowing trials – and a chance at not just victory, but also lasting glory in the eyes of Spacenoids. A chance that would also be soon coming.

* * *

Yes, Gen. Revil's the one being referred to by Valeria as a "deceitful old" Earthnoid.

Zeon's "Earth Attack Force" or EAF is the official name given to the military forces that would be formally under Garma Zabi's command on Earth. The actual invasion of the planet, which is suggested as having been planned in advance as a contingency, would be known as the Earth Drop Operations.

The Type 61 MBT, also known as the M61, is the Earth Federation's main battle tank (MBT) and something of a conventional workhorse. First entering service in UC 0061, it's a double-barreled model that evolved from modern-day tanks like the Abrams and Leopard. With the discovery of Minovsky Particles and the later development of Mobile Suits, the Type 61 like most other conventional weapons systems was quickly outclassed, though it could nonetheless pose some threat if used as support and in bulk. Still, in canon it would remain in service as a Federation mainstay throughout the One Year War and beyond, even after the Federation's own MS rendered it obsolete.

Laser-based weaponry actually used to be a thing. Just like anti-beam coating's eventually developed to make beam weaponry less effective, they were able to counter lasers with a similar anti-laser coating for vehicle armor and the like. The difference being that beam weapons can still burn through anti-beam coating more easily than you might think. Apparently, anti-laser coatings were so much more effective that lasers became next to useless (in addition to their expense compared to more conventional arms). That said, lasers are still in use as a means of communication. Laser-based communication systems are the primary method of communicating when in a Minovsky Particle dense area.

If the previous chapter focused on how preparations for the Earth Drop Operations looked like from Degwin Zabi's perspective, this one puts more of a spotlight on what happened in February of UC 0079 from Valeria's point of view. All the while introducing Valeria's first permanent teammates: Lt. Duncan Emerson and 2nd Lt. Kazuki Sorris. The three of them make up the newly established 12th MS Team, which in time would become known as the Dusk Wraiths.

While a good portion was considerably reworked for consistency and better flow, much of the material is taken from the RP, at points virtually wholesale. Other parts like the training scene incorporate elements from the very start of the RP, so as to both shed a bit more light on UC technology and help set the stage for what happens on Earth itself. Not to mention further integrate the narrative and "technical/strategy" elements of the RP.


	10. Chapter 7: Earthfall

**_Sieg Zeon:_**

 ** _An Alternate Tale of the Universal Century_**

 ** _Chapter 7: Earthfall  
_**

It was March 1, UC 0079. Or so read the displays onboard the HLV Valeria was in. After weeks of specialized training, the day had finally come: the Earth Drop Operations were given the go-ahead, with her and the 12th MS Team, as part of the Earth Attack Force's 1st Terrestrial Mobile Division, being among the first to set foot on the planet for Zeon. And as the young woman awkwardly tried to adjust her uniform's collar, she felt more nervous than she had been since the start of this war. That the large transport craft she was in, designed to enter and leave Earth's atmosphere, had no exterior windows didn't help matters.

 _But at least we're not with the actual first wave_ , she thought, only to shake off the notion. Technically speaking, the invasion had already begun, the aforementioned first wave securing landing zones in the Caucasus region and parts of what had once been known as Kazakhstan and the Ukraine. If all went according to plan, those daring souls would have already deployed, which would be well before the Feddies could even react properly.

As part of the second wave meant to push outward from those landing zones, meanwhile, she and her teammates would land to the east of the Caspian Sea. Once there, they would then meet up with the 6th Brigade – called the "Wolf Brigade" if she remembered the briefing correctly – and seize the famed Baikonur Spaceport, where the space race first began. Capturing this facility, according to the briefing, would make the process of moving personnel and supplies between Space and the Earth significantly easier for the Eurasian Theater.

 _If we even make it to the ground…right?_ She shook her head at that thought. The fact that Zeon's combined fleet and those Lunar mass drivers already dealt with whatever could have threatened the cargo and transports landing planetside – hers included – at least removed the prospect of some stray missile blowing her up. But it was little consolation.

The young woman noticed her hands curling up into tight fists even as she tried hard not to show any fear, a task she's certain she was failing at. It only served to make the fact that she's leaving space. _Space…space is something I know._ Despite the training, the idea of fighting on the Federation's home turf remained rather daunting. It was one thing to behold what some in the middle-era called the "blue world" or the "pale blue dot" from afar; what must have been revelation-inducing back then had become almost mundane for Spacenoids, especially with how the Earth Federation did much to make the old "world without borders" cliché at least superficially true. But it's another thing to actually be down there, to experience the full brunt of gravity and some of the terrible weather she'd heard about. _Not to mention all those damn Feddies!_ Compared to those, her previous exposures to combat seemed downright tolerable at the moment.

"Getting cold feet, Valeria?"

Stunned, she glanced at Duncan and Kazuki, who were seated right across from her. To her surprise, they seemed remarkably calm, a sense of confidence seemingly beaming from the looks on their faces. _They make it look so easy._

"Y-Yes. Have you been to Earth before?"

"When I was a little kid. My parents were lucky to have saved up for a tour package to Cape Canaveral back in 0050. Wasn't like _this_ , though," her superior shrugged, glaring for a moment at the smirking, younger man beside him before giving a reassuring smile. "Just remember. We've all made it this far. Now let's make those Feddies regret having to force us down there."

The young woman smiled at that as she regained control over herself. Such expressions, especially from the one who'd lead her into battle did much to still her nerves. _If they aren't worried, I sure as Hell am not going to be._ After all, she helped defeat the Federation in space, and now she's to help defeat the Federation on Earth. _It's just that simple. Yes, has to be.  
_

It was then that everyone stopped as another of Gihren Zabi's speeches was broadcast on the monitors in advance of the drop. Valeria quietly sighed as the short recording – most likely made just before the first wave set off – played, though she didn't particularly pay much attention to the admittedly rousing rhetoric. After the colony gassings and Operation British, she's convinced that somehow, he was the mastermind; however much those actions technically made the first month of the war easier for Zeon, it still didn't change how that man's despicable in her eyes. _If only those didn't happen. And yet…_

 _*"…for the future of humanity, this is the time for the citizens of Zeon to rise!"*_

 _That much is true._ If there's one thing she took from that speech worth taking to hear, it's that she was fighting for the future of humanity. _Me and everyone here._ If that wasn't a worthy goal to hold onto in the struggle to come, what else was there?

-o-

The HLV's descent was fast and uncomfortable, as was intended for a quick deployment. Despite the audible shaking felt and the stresses that seemingly threatened to rip it and others entering the atmosphere apart, those tense minutes mercifully passed by as quickly as they came. Even before the retro rockets fired up, however, it didn't take long for it to be clear that this was no longer the domain of Spacenoids. Further highlighted as the vessel finally settled on solid ground, its myriad doors soon opening to allow the somewhat chilly air of the steppes to flow in.

 _So this is Earth. I can't believe I'm actually here…_

As dazed and exhausted as Valeria was upon exiting the transport, she was astounded by just how quickly the landing site of her HLV had become a functional military base. Around her, she saw armed cargo trucks preparing to make their journey, other soldiers going to and from a number of tents and prefab buildings and a plethora of MS being unloaded – some with their pilots inside while others hauled onto crawlers. In the distance, she saw Dopp fighters and several Magella Attack tanks accompanying a couple of Zaku-IIs on patrol, while faint traces of smoke remained visible from the horizon. All these, just a few hours after the 1st Terrestrial Mobile Division made Earthfall.

 _We really have come far_ , she thought as she strained to adjust her belongings, only to be reminded of how Earth's gravity, however technically subtle the differences, still needed some getting used to. _Now to find…_

"Get your ass moving, Valeria! Sightseeing will have to wait!" she heard her commanding officer amidst the noise, apparently having gone ahead to receive their next orders. "Just got word that all Wolf Brigade assets are to assemble, ASAP. That includes us, in other words. So you might have to lug that weight for a bit longer."

"Copy, Duncan. Lead the way." _Note to self, don't say "sir" again._

She followed the veteran into one of the larger canvas and steel structures in the middle of the budding base. Sure enough, inside was a makeshift assembly hall, with a series of maps, screens and hastily set-up comm suites in front. To the side, she noticed that Kazuki was already standing by where they were meant to sit, silent and cautious as ever. Behind him however were a host of new faces, no doubt belonging to the other making up the Wolf Brigade, which wasn't counting the fighter pilots and tank crews providing support. While a part of her was disappointed upon not finding anyone from the former 87th MS Team, perhaps it's for the best. _At least it makes the coming battle easier._ Still, that didn't stop her from giving a smile and a salute to her comrades, no matter how bemusing it seemed to her teammates. _A little goodwill goes a long way. Who knows if they'll be here when it's all over?_

Dropping her bags close to her seat, her attention soon turned to the boards and displays at the other side of the chamber. Some showed up-to-date feeds of this part of the world, with multiple markings creeping out of the LZs in all directions, especially towards Europe and the Middle East; even now it still surprised her how rapidly they were expanding, only to remember that unlike in the middle-era, it's easier to claim larger tracts of land when the planet was less densely populated. Most of the images however were of maps and satellite photos, with Baikonur and nearby Krayniy Airbase visible amidst the surrounding desert steppes.

"From what I've heard, the operation's due to commence tomorrow. Looks like the top brass don't want to give the Federation enough time to breathe," she heard Duncan whisper from her left. "Don't be so surprised, you've usually been attentive at briefings anyway. Still, I suspect they'll throw everything they've got at us. If they had any sense, they won't make it easy."

"Better we take them out and secure the spaceport now than later. Though I wish they'd give us time to adjust," she nodded in agreement before letting out a sigh. "I just can't help but shake off the feeling that things may get worse before they get better. Are those Feddies _that_ obsessed with making up for Loum?"

"That's war, Valeria," her superior replied with a faint, if understanding smile. "Still, it's about time we drive it home to those Earthnoids how wrong they are."

 _Quickly, I hope._ As a string of high-ranking officers began walking in, prompting her and the others to stand in attention, she took a deep breath. However unfortunate it was that neither one of them had enough time to acclimate to real gravity, if this meant that the war could end sooner even in a small way, it's worth the risk. _Nothing ventured, nothing gained._

-o-

 _*"Lobo. Lupo. It's time you split off for Krayniy."*_

And just like that, "Fenrir," "Skoll," and "Hati" continued advancing to the southeast while the pilots of "Lupo," aka the 12th MS Team, broke off and moved directly south to strike at Krayniy Airbase. For a brief moment, Valeria Caine realized just how desolate the surrounding landscape leading towards her destination was, save for a handful of highways as well as decaying pre-UC buildings left behind by the Federation-sanctioned depopulation generations earlier. It meant fewer civilians out here, if there were still any at all, but also that an attack could come from all directions. _Right, just focus on the mission…focus!_

Still, she marked the time registered on her cockpit's displays: 0500 hours, March 2, UC 0079.

Against all odds the five MS Teams of the Wolf Brigade had managed to make it this far without interference. She'd expected at least one skirmish with their Type 61s or even some foolhardy ground soldiers before they made it anywhere close, forcing her to conclude that the Feddies had decided to focus on defending the two targets. Either that, or the very real possibility that the forces available to the enemy were already spent trying to stop the initial landing operations the day before. For her first Earthbound mission, it seemed like a walk in the park. _A bit too much of one…_

Catching sight of an aircraft exploding, albeit too far away to easily identify, disabused her of that notion soon enough. As she made one last, quick check on her Zaku-II's weapons, it was evident that the enemy still had enough forces, including Saberfish planes to give the squadrons of Dopp fighter jets sent in advance to attack any enemy craft a hard fight; even from a distance, she watched friend and foe alike swarming through the sky above the target, illuminated by a handful of searchlights. _Like one of those old war documentaries._ But as beautiful and horrifying as the sight was, she pressed on alongside her teammates towards their destination, only to hear the sounds of guns firing.

 _*"Look alive,_ _Valeria!"*_ Duncan snapped through the comms. * _"Fixed defenses dead ahead! Take cover!_ "*

As if on cue, an artillery shell landed not far from Valeria's position as three of the still-functioning guns surrounding Krayniy Airbase closest to her opened fire. As quick as her MS could manage, she took cover alongside Kazuki behind one of the hills close by. Another explosion however was close enough to rock her within her Zaku-II's cockpit as the shelling continued on the hill.

"Lupo 3, do you copy?" she called out on the comms. _Damn the callsigns!_ "Kazuki, we have to stop those defenses!"

 _*"Way ahead of you,"*_ the man replied as his MS came out of cover and fired several bursts of Machinegun fire at the closest, frankly oversized turret he could find, many of the shots hitting their marks as it burst into flames. * _"Do it now, Valeria!"*_

 _Here we go!_ "Right! Cover me!"

With quick reflexes, her Zaku-II rose up from behind the hill and took careful aim with its Bazooka. _Time for you to go!_ Getting the remaining turrets lined up in her sights, she squeezed the trigger and was shortly thereafter rewarded with the sound of one ruinous explosion after another as black smoke billowed forth from the now-silenced guns. It didn't take long before her teammate followed suit, gunning the remaining turret in the vicinity with what remained of his ammo; there was no contest.

To her relief, she saw Duncan approach them, his MS almost entirely unharmed; from the looks of it, it seemed as though he'd also left behind a few other smoldering husks in the midst of the fighting.

 _*"Good job, Valeria. Kazuki, let's go introduce ourselves to the nice Feddies who thought shooting at us with huge ass cannons was a good idea."*_

Even though her teammate failed to say anything in response, the female pilot was sure she could feel him grinning over the channel as he and Duncan charged forward. With a cold smirk, she followed them into the dimmed airbase. _Let's do this!_

By the time they got within reach of Krayniy's original middle-era terminal however, it seemed like another team – apparently Lobo – had beaten them to it from another direction. The burnt out husks of jeeps and APCs were the first things to greet her, in addition to a pile of scrap metal that must have once been a Type 61 or two apparently kept in reserve. _And the people. So…many of them!_ Even after the initial attacks, there remained a lot of infantry and assorted Feddie personnel fleeing in a blind panic. Mercifully, no one had the mind to end their suffering with a few well-placed Machinegun bursts; while she'd since lost much sympathy for Earthnoids, neither could she blame them. _Against six Zaku-IIs stomping in and I'm just a guy on foot? I'd be pretty damn scared myself!_

A part of her hoped that these panicking Feddies would see reason and surrender before long, at least before the Wolf Brigade's infantry and armored support came in to properly "secure" the airbase; the last thing she wanted was a drawn-out massacre. _They'd have to be stupid to resist by now!_ In the meantime however, there was still work to do. Aiming into one of the nearby, abandoned hangars, she blew up a Depp Rog heavy bomber with another Bazooka round, with her teammates doing likewise. As miniscule as this was in the wider scheme of things, if it meant depriving the Federation of more arms to use against Zeon – and thus help hasten the likelihood of victory – she didn't particularly mind.

-o-

It was 0630 hours when Lobo and Lupo moved from the airbase to assist the other three teams. In the time it took for the rest of the Wolf Brigade to reach in sight of Baikonur Spaceport, "Fenrir," "Skoll," and "Hati" had already managed to break the back of its defenders, or at least most of them if the faint scattered sounds of battle were any indication.

"Looks like we've missed the party," Valeria sighed aloud as she moved forward even while keeping a sharp eye out for any stragglers. _Not that I'd want to be in the thick of that._ Along the way, she bit her lip upon passing the blown-up remains of "Skoll 2" as well as the still-burning husk of the Big Tray-class landship that made the kill; while there was some justice in seeing a feared Federation weapon brought low, it's a bittersweet reminder that there were still Spacenoid lives lost in what seemed to be an "easy" victory, compared even to what she had back in space. _Too easy._ She felt tempted to use her MS to salute the fallen, unknown pilot, only to find the notion too tacky and moved on.

 _Still, this can't be right._ Something seemed off as she met up with her teammates, with the rest of the Wolf Brigade either taking positions in different parts of, or investigating the complex itself. Even from her vantage point, the defenses – or rather the ruined husks that remained of them – looked little better than at Krayniy despite the facility's significance to the Federation. It didn't take a skilled tactician to realize that there's more to this than met the eye.

 _*"Seems like that training's paying off,"*_ her commanding officer noted over the comms, though it was clear from his tone that he's thinking the same thing she was. * _"But while I'd like to be wrong about what I said earlier, this just doesn't add up. Why would the Feddies be so damn sloppy with their defenses here?"*_

"If I didn't know any better, it's almost as if it's some kind of trap," she replied before sighing. "But if it _is_ one, though, the enemy's doing a really poor job at it if they're leaving all _this_ behind." _Not that I'm complaining or want to be blown up!_

 _*"Rather perceptive. But I'm sure we'll find out soon. For now take five while you still can. That's an order, Valeria."*_

"Copy that. Take your own advice as well, Duncan!" she quipped before sitting back in her cockpit. From where her MS was, she was able to get a good view of Baikonur. Not much remained of the complex from the middle-era, with most of the visible structures being of more recent vintage in their modern if austere designs. Yet the steel erectors of the Site 1 launch pad – still called Gagarin's Start long after the last Russians had left these steppes generations ago – stood out as a testament to the old Soviet Union as well as the space race that ultimately led to this moment. _To think it all began with a small metal ball…_ As the sun rose over the horizon, she couldn't help but feel in awe at how she was not just looking at history, but making it. _Even if we're fighting over it…_

It was then, however that a cacophony of noise began filling the comms. Frantically, she tuned it to her team's main channel, if only to drown the various voices. True enough, Duncan's voice crackled through.

 _*"We might have to postpone that break. Just got word of recovered intel saying that the Federation's been pulling out most if its forces as part of a planned a counterattack on multiple fronts. That includes ours!"*_

The young woman snapped from her thoughts as she sat up. "So what's the plan?"

There was a tired chuckle that's audible from the other end. _"Valeria, Kazuki, current orders are to strike the enemy before they hit us! Though it seems the Feddies have made our job easier by showing us exactly where the bastards are! Get ready to move out!"_

 _Guess it's not over yet._ Sighing, she strained to stay focused as they joined up with the rest of the Wolf Brigade. From what she'd seen of the attempts to stop mobile suits, let alone Zeon thus far in this war, she couldn't help but wonder if the Federation's leadership was simply stupid or if there's something in the planet's water supply. _Whichever way, I'm not going wait all day to make them learn their mistake!_

However much this turn of events helped further sour what had been her first few days on the planet, one thing that couldn't be denied was that while she'd won her first Earthbound battle, genuine victory was still a way to go. And that started to worry her.

* * *

Zeon's "Earth Attack Force" or EAF is the official name given to the military forces that would be formally under Garma Zabi's command on Earth. The actual invasion of the planet, which is suggested as having been planned in advance as a contingency, would be known as the Earth Drop Operations. In addition, each "Terrestrial Mobile Division" corresponds to the order with which the Earth Drop Operations followed, with the First being in Central Asia and the Caucasus (eventually reaching into Europe and the Middle East).

The Heavy Lift Vehicle or HLV is a large transport vessel used by Zeon, designed to bring cargo and people on and off Earth.

Gihren Zabi's speech is based on a clip from the _Gihren's Greed_ games.

The DFA-03 Dopp fighter jet is Zeon's answer to the atmospheric variant of the Earth Federation's Saberfish. While it excels in agility and in helping provide reconnaissance, it's found wanting in its aerodynamic design. Most notably, Garma Zabi is known to have piloted such fighters in canon.

The Magella Attack tank, also known as the HT-01B, is Zeon's equivalent of the MBT. While originally designed to counter the Type 61, the advent of Mobile Suits as well as the Magella Attack's own design limitations (imposed by among other things its detachable top) meant that it ultimately served to support MS and infantry. Its 175mm Cannon in particular is capable of serving not only as makeshift artillery but is also capable of taking down enemy vehicles with relative ease, including other MS; a modified version of the Cannon would eventually be used by Zeon MS in time.

The Depp Rog is a high-altitude heavy bomber used by the Earth Federation.

The Big Tray-class land battleship/landship, is one of the Federation's more potent weapons. Developed in the years prior to the canon OYW, it's an evolution of the battleships and hovercrafts of modern-day navies, its many mounted turrets not only capable of providing long-range fire support but are also powerful enough to destroy Mobile Suits.

And yes, the launchpad known as "Gagarin's Start" (Site 1 at Baikonur Cosmodrome) is a real place in Kazachstan, as are Krayniy and Baikonur in general; in reality, those locations remain under Russian administration. The launchpad is indeed notable for being the site where Yuri Gagarin was launched into space as well as where the Soyuz missile that sent up Sputnik in 1957 took off.

As another aside, compared to the other chapters, this one took a bit of time to work out, and not because it's rather long (if only to highlight how much happens over the course of two days). Rather it took a bit of reworking, polishing and some creative license (with whole bits unique to the fic) to combine the narrative and "strategic" segments of the relevant RP segments used here (Turns 11-12), all while keeping consistent and maintaining Valeria's perspective. Not to mention foreshadow events down the line. All the same, I do hope the end result is worth it!


	11. Chapter 8: The Spoils of Victory

**_Sieg Zeon:_**

 ** _An Alternate Tale of the Universal Century_**

 ** _Chapter 8: The Spoils of Victory_**

After the conquest of Baikonur Spaceport and Krayniy Airbase, finding the bulk of the local Federation forces proved easy enough, as was the ensuing skirmish. Tracking down those same enemies however proved harder amidst the Central Asian steppes, even with the recovered intel. Still, it's undeniable that as with all the other frontlines, the planned counterattack had not only been stopped in its tracks but had turned into a rout. It seemed that like their counterparts in space, the generals of the Earth Federation Ground Forces foolishly chalked up Zeon's successes as a result of surprise. Instead, the hunter had become the hunted.

It wasn't until a few days later that a couple of Dopp squadrons finally tracked down the Feddies along the Caspian Sea to the northern fringes of old Iran; more specifically, towards the Elbruz Mountains and the enemy defenses there. Resupplied and reinforced with two more MS teams as well as several Magella Attack tanks, the Wolf Brigade had been given the green light and quickly moved south to engage the retreating forces before they made it to the relative "safety" of those mountains.

So it was that the cowards were met in battle at around 1630 hours of March 5, UC 0079. Valeria Caine of the 12th MS Team knew her orders well. ' _To capture or destroy all that we encounter.' But this…_

For what transpired before her wasn't a "battle." This was nothing short of a slaughter, even if the Federation forces refused to admit it. _Even with their lives._ Not far from her, a couple of Type 61s were frantically firing on her and her comrades' positions even as they tried to keep moving away, only for their rounds to do more damage to the surrounding ground than on any single Zeon MS. In another time, such tanks would have been formidable against any foe, especially if coordinated. But with much of their onboard systems crippled if not rendered useless thanks to Minovsky Particles and how even a Zaku-I could dodge them, the MBTs were little better than the middle-era models they clearly took after. With a brief burst from her Zaku-II's Machinegun, she silenced those relics with almost little effort. _They never stood a chance._ She frowned at the smoldering husks, noticing briefly another MS destroying a couple more tanks with an enlarged version of a cracker grenade before pushing on past the broken rear guard; even though neither she nor her teammates had enough time to use the new "Ground Type" refit specifically made for use on Earth, it proved remarkably easy.

As the Elburz Mountains drew closer, so did the main bulk of the retreating Feddies; it had become evident by then that any semblance or meaningful resistance had broken down. _Yet they still refuse to surrender!_ Many desperate infantrymen, recognizably by their drab, grey-ish uniforms, tended to crowd around Type 61s and whatever other vehicles remained, believing they would afford them some kind of protection. Others still tried pitifully to fire back with little more than the pistols and assault rifles they still had on them. The closest thing to actual danger came from a few APCs, IFVs and missile vehicles that managed to fire off their payload of ATGMs, one even managing to come close to hitting Valeria, if the explosion to her right suggested anything. Thanks to the same developments that justified the invention of the MS, even the wire-guided warheads the EFGF carried over from their predecessors seemed to be little more than glorified rockets, which proved to be almost as easy for Valeria to dodge as it was for Duncan to blow their launchers with a well-placed Bazooka strike.

* _"Keep it together, Valeria!"*_ the man quipped over the comms. * _"It's dirty business, but we can't let those Feddies get away. The sooner we get it done, the better!"*_

"C-Copy that!" she grunted in reply as she set her sights on a mass of fleeing infantrymen by some APCs and another Type 61, a couple of them even attempting to frantically load a missile launcher before following the rest in fear. _You bastards…why don't you give up?!_

While it wasn't as visibly obvious anymore, it never ceased to amaze her how easy it was to make other human beings simply disappear. As the Machinegun rounds slammed home, they were reduced to so much fine red mist before vanishing into the smoke and flames of the destroyed vehicles. Of course, that was assuming it was her doing the killing. With Kazuki, whose MS was not far from her right, it somehow seemed so much worse; while a useful ally, the young woman couldn't help but feel as though he was becoming way too into fighting with his Heat Hawk as of late. _Sure, with the enemy so disorganized, it's not as risky as it should be_ … But it didn't stop her from gasping upon seeing that weapon reduce enemy vehicles to molten slag; she swore she could even see any nearby infantry simply burst into flaming chunks as though someone had stuck them into a microwave. As much as she resented the Federation, she could only take so much for one battle.

Noticing her own hands starting to shake from the carnage, Valeria sneered as she instead focused on the afternoon skies above. Amidst the chaos, she could still clearly make out Dopps attempting to intercept the Fly Manta fighter-bombers no doubt sent to cover the Feddies' retreat, as well as the sleek shapes of TIN Cods and even a handful of Saberfish squadrons fighting off the Zeon planes. She knew however that if her side lost control over the air, while those jets wouldn't derail the war effort by themselves, they'd only buy time for their allies to escape.

 _And prolong the bloodbath. At least I could do this much!_

Taking careful aim, she fired. Each time she let loose with a Machinegun burst, a TIN Cod transformed into an expanding ball of fire and shrapnel; it's a small mercy that if there were any traces that a human pilot in the ensuing explosion, she didn't see any. A few other MS nearby followed suit in delivering a stream anti-aircraft fire, which soon allowed the remaining Dopps to sweep in to finish off the Fly Mantas. As the Federation planes fell from the sky, finally allowed a bitter smirk upon noticing makeshift white flags being raised from the handful of Type 61s and IFVs that were left, the scared soldiers around them having raised their hands; all the universally recognized signs of surrender. _About damn time!_

"Duncan, are you seeing this?" she called out over the comms, keeping her voice as calm as possible. "The enemy has _finally_ lost the will to fight. What are our orders?"

There was a momentary, concerned sigh from her commanding officer before clearing his throat. * _"We hold the fort until the rest of our reinforcements get here. You know the rest, Valeria."*_

"Roger that. I just hope we can call this a day _." Not when I've had my fill of death for one._

This pursuit, she knew, also served as part of a general advance towards the Elburz Mountains, which would then open the rest of the ancient Iranian heartland up to a rapid conquest, at least once the inevitable shelling and strafing runs were through. While the barest trickle might have actually made if for all she cared, almost the entirety of what the Federation hoped would form the its grand counterattack would never get the opportunity to fulfill that role, having ended up captured or destroyed. _Mostly destroyed. And I had a role in that._

Looking down, it was only thenthat she really noticed how tightly her hands were gripping the controls. _Figures. But I'll save the nightmares for later._ Looking at the ruined landscape around her, she frowned, wondering whether she could ever get used to sights like this. Then again, she'd already killed more than her share since joining the military; she knew the risks involved. _And the price paid…but if it means peace someday, so be it.  
_

-o-

The advance on the Elburz Mountains quickly proved to be as decisive as the pushes deeper into Eastern Europe; so successful that within a day, any organized EFGF defenses left in the region had all but collapsed. But just as the Wolf Brigade prepared to move towards Tehran, the 12th MS Team was finally allowed leave to rest for a few days. Officially, this was meant to stymie fatigue just as much as to reward those who've been fighting under the weight of Earth's gravity since arriving on the planet, though word down the grapevine's that they'd be sent off to the frontlines further west soon.

For Valeria Caine though, any valid excuse was worth it as she glanced at the new "Ground Type" Zaku-IIs doing their patrols around the now-fully operational Krayniy Airbase from the top of the old terminal building, the rocket launchers on their legs plain to see amidst the setting sun. With all the cleanup work and the myriad prefab expansions set up around the middle-era structure, it was already becoming harder to tell that this place once belonged to anyone other than Zeon. While in the skies over the direction of Baikonur Spaceport itself, she could make out the contrails of a few HLVs and other transport craft carrying cargo to and from the homeland, crisscrossed occasionally by a passing Dopp squadron flying off into a horizon that seemed to stretch forever.

 _It really is all so…different._ Even though just about a week had passed since she first set foot on Earth, it was only lately that she really got to take in the sensations around her, both of the natural and man-made kind; the fact that the world looked a lot bigger from the surface even now still needed some getting used to. From the uncontrolled weather and wild landscapes down to the breeze through her hair and subtly stronger pull of gravity on her body, all of it seemed to highlight how Spacenoids like her almost seemed like bold pioneers out of some old movie setting foot on alien soil. _Even if we're fighting tooth and nail over it. Some things haven't changed._

Still, it wasn't quite enough to put to rest the nightmares she'd already begun to have, or the myriad deaths – directly or otherwise – she was responsible for; for all her loyalty to the homeland or hatred against the Federation, the burden of taking a life, let alone multiple ones remained heavy. _Then again, I knew what I was getting into when I enlisted._ That thought, at least for the moment strengthened her resolve to both deliver justice and see a quick end of this war. _I didn't come down here to…_

"There you are, Valeria!"

Stunned, the young pilot quickly turned around to find her superior walking towards her. More out of impulse and training than anything else, she buttoned up and briskly fixed the creases on her uniform; despite having been part of the 12th MS Team for over a month, it still took a bit of effort to resist the urge to stand in crisp attention.

"Um, I was just getting some quiet time, Duncan!" she stammered as she adjusted her collar, only to be met by a chuckle.

"Relax, we're not being called back to action yet. Better make most of our winning streak while we still can," he quipped before glancing at another passing Dopp. "Besides, I thought you'd like to join the rest of us over at the bar. It sure beats sulking out here alone, that's for sure."

"About that! You see-"

"Don't make me pull rank, Valeria! It'll be just fine," he chided with a hint of deadpan. "Trust me, it'll be worth it!"

"Of course! Um, lead the way!" _Though I wouldn't mind relaxing in my quarters this time._

"That's the spirit!" the older man grinned before grabbing her hand. Truth be told, she would have happily used the remaining time off to be by herself and maybe catch up on some light reading. Unfortunately for her, Duncan's much bigger on developing _esprit de corps_ than Lt. Halder back in the former 87th ever was; as much as she genuinely appreciated the effort, it still needed some getting use to. _And you could let me go now!_

It didn't take too long though before Valeria soon found herself dragged downstairs and through the old corridors to the terminal's main bar, where Kazuki aside, only a handful were present. While formally incorporated as part of the airbase' cantina, it had apparently been around since before the Universal Century, if the small gallery on display showing weathered movie posters in Cyrillic lettering suggested anything. That and the bottles of alcohol left behind by the Feddies; some of the beverages being sold, she noticed as she reached the table reserved for the team, were Earthnoid brands that were hard to come by in space even before the war.

"Can't say I'm much of a drinker, Valeria. But since we're not on active duty, you're more than welcome to have a few shots," Duncan smiled as he sat down with a glass. "After all we've faced, there's no harm in savoring the spoils of victory, especially when it's original vodka."

"I'll pass." She blushed as memories swung back from the last time she let herself loose. "With all respect, I've had my share of hard drinking after Loum. Let's leave it at that." _As pleasurable as that night was…dammit!_

"I'll bet, though there's no need to be shy about escapades. None of us are exactly saints here. And if _you_ think you're the only with drunken adventures, when I was younger-"

"Duncan!"

"Don't worry about it," Kazuki quipped, finally breaking his silence with a smirk as he finished a bottle of beer. "He's been around. Rumor has it that he had such a great hangover one time that he mistook one of Vice Admiral Dozle's men – Anavel Gato, I think – for one of his paramours!"

"That was a _long_ time ago. Need I tell that story about how you tried to teach a group of ladies the way of Bushido in your quarters back in Solomon? I'm fairly damn sure it involved a lot of naked running."

"I bet it was _real_ enlightening," Valeria deadpanned as she managed a chuckle. _At least I can share my wild tale with you guys one of these days._ Whatever her gripes, she enjoyed their company, both as friends and comrades-in-arms.

Before long though, her attention shifted to the TV close by, showing a muted ZeoNet broadcast on the recent conquest of Odessa, a major port in the former Ukraine that had also become invaluable for its mining and industry. Images of Zaku-IIs, Magella Attack tanks and jeeps full of soldiers crossed past an outlying village as local Federation officers laid down their arms; the news ticker at the bottom meanwhile confirmed the hearsay of a scouting party being sent somewhere in Central America to pave the way for "part two" of the Earth Drop Operations. The scene soon shifted however to a journalist doing a quick interview with one of the MS teams, mostly female, involved in that victory. This caused the young pilot to smile; although the notion of women serving in the military – especially as ship crew and MS pilots – was something of a non-issue among Spacenoids due to the need for every able body to contribute, the mere sight of skilled, professional females like herself still spoke much of the righteousness of Zeon's cause. _Though that blonde girl at the back does seem rather dizzy._

"Since we're here anyway," she heard Duncan muse aloud. "Are you up for pool? Or darts?"

 _Only if you boys are up for it…_ Before she could say anything however, everyone's attention turned to a higher-ranking, if somewhat haggard officer who clearly had come quite a way to get here. It didn't stop the man however from sliding into a crisp, authoritative tone, despite the exhaustion.

"Is there a Valeria Caine here?"

"Here, Sir!" she replied promptly as she stood in attention. "Awaiting your orders!"

The officer cleared his throat as he took out an envelope from his overcoat. As he spoke the rehearsed lines, however, the young woman resisted the urge to look surprised, which grew harder as it became evident what was being said. _It could mean one thing…_

"The Principality of Zeon has reposed special trust and confidence in your patriotism, valor, fidelity and abilities. In view of these qualities and your demonstrated potential for increased responsibility, you are hereby promoted to Second Lieutenant with a date of rank as of March 8, UC 0079. Further details and orders to follow. By order of Headquarters, 1st Terrestrial Mobile Division." The man then showed a tired, if sincere smile. "Congratulations, 2nd Lt. Caine. As you were. Sieg Zeon!"

Fighting off her shock, she managed a firm salute as she calmly accepted the envelope containing her promotion letter. "Thank you, Sir!"

As the officer made to leave – thus allowing Valeria to finally sigh in both relief and pleasant surprise – she was met with cheering even among the strangers in the bar, a few even loudly congratulating her despite their slurred voices. She turned around to find both Duncan and Kazuki nodding approvingly at her. _You guys..._

"Told you it'd be worthwhile. You definitely earned that rank – and your place with us," her commanding officer grinned before looking at the rest of the patrons with a bottle of vodka. "This round's on me!"

A part of her wondered if Duncan had this turn of events planned on purpose; whichever way, she'd find out soon enough. Still, while a promotion in itself wouldn't silence her inner fears or wash the deaths away, she didn't mind being the highlight of the evening for once, at least. And if it meant greater opportunities to help win this war, she'd gladly take the greater risks and responsibilities her new rank would inevitably entail.

 _Together. I guess victory really does have its benefits._

The night was still young. But at the back of her mind, Valeria knew that time would soon come before once again she would once again be thrown into the fray. A fray that was beginning to truly become global.

* * *

Zeon's "Earth Attack Force" or EAF is the official name given to the military forces that would be formally under Garma Zabi's command on Earth. The actual invasion of the planet, which is suggested as having been planned in advance as a contingency, would be known as the Earth Drop Operations. In addition, each "Terrestrial Mobile Division" corresponds to the order with which the Earth Drop Operations followed, with the First being in Central Asia and the Caucasus (eventually reaching into Europe and the Middle East). And the Second being planned for North America.

The EFGF is short for the Earth Federation Ground Forces. Originally referring only to the ground army, in practice the EFGF encompasses the Earth-side elements of Federation's military, including the Air Force and Navy as well as to a limited degree, space operations. Compared to the EFSF however, at least initially, they're also the most poorly-equipped, possessing outdated weaponry and personnel equipment.

The FF-6 TIN Cod is the Federation's other main atmospheric jet fighter. While older than the Saberfish, having entered service in UC 0062, it makes up for it in superior maneuverability, cheap production and light payload.

The FF/B-2 Fly Manta is a Federation fighter-bomber used frequently to attack ground targets and in relatively large numbers. Which is further helped along by their ease of production.

For those confused by the acronyms, ATGMs are "Anti Tank Ground Missiles" and IFVs are "Infantry Fighting Vehicles," which are familiar elements in real life conventional warfare.

Compared to most of the other chapters, this one also took a bit of time to work out. Mostly it had to do with both maintaining consistency and on writing the battle sequences, parts of which are intentionally meant to evoke conventional modern warfare (and why thanks to MS and Minovsky Particles, they backfire in-verse). While also generally expanding on the relevant RP segments (Turns 13-14) and streamlining the flow of events, not counting how to get the promotion scene right. In addition, there's some foreshadowing in the Odessa news footage, showing the other MS team that in time would be merged with the 12th to form the Dusk Wraiths.


	12. Chapter 8-5: Carrying the Weight

**_Sieg Zeon:_**

 ** _An Alternate Tale of the Universal Century_**

 ** _Chapter 8.5: Carrying the Weight_**

"How long before we've secured the city?" Earth Attack Force Commander Garma Zabi asked one of his many subordinates as he walked down the makeshift forward base on Ellis Island towards the communications tent. It was as close as he could get to the frontlines at the moment, which seemed to be advancing away with each passing minute.

"Our men are reporting minimal resistance from the various sectors, sir," an officer replied in a chirpy yet smug tone that was barely tolerated even in academy. "At this rate, we'll be done in two hours, tops. With those Feddie rejects, the entire Atlantic Seaboard will be ours in no time!"

"I hope so. Remember, we're here to free the city, not destroy it. There's no point winning the people's hearts if there's no one left to win over." _And I also hope I don't regret those words_ , the youngest Zabi added inwardly with a shrug as he gazed at the New York skyline across the channel, cutting off any further attempts by the opportunistic man to curry favor. _Though you don't need to sugarcoat the obvious, you fool._

Save for a few plumes of smoke in the distance, the constant sight of Dopp fighters escorting massive Gaw transports along the coast and the faint sounds of sirens blaring, it's actually difficult to tell that there's even a combat operation here at all, let alone across much of this portion of the continent. The metropolis itself meanwhile, being one of the Federation's premier "global cities," looked much as it did in the latter days of the middle-era, the Empire State Building and New World Trade Center still towering over the landscape like jewels on a crown unscathed. Still, he felt troubled.

It wasn't as if Garma had no reason to be proud, be it of keeping his stride despite barely having time to adjust to Earth gravity or how quickly this campaign's going. With the resounding success so far of the Earth Drop Operations and the conquest of Odessa within the first week alone, the second phase went like clockwork. Comprised of two groups making Earthfall on opposite ends of North America, it's also much larger in scope and purpose; given the need to control the Federation's key sources of food and strategic locations vital to its military-industrial complex – including the network of EFGF strongholds along the West Coast known as "California Base" – it was deemed necessary. _Not to mention bring us closer to Jaburo, but we're not just here to do those._ The historical irony that this would be the first time in centuries that all-out war was happening on "American" soil, even though the old United States was long gone wasn't lost on him either.

Still, noticing a momentary chance to be alone as his subordinate quietly left for other duties, or at least as "alone" as was possible given the buzz of activity around him, the young Zabi sighed. While the present invasion was undoubtedly exceeding his expectations – with little to no casualties to boot – he still felt as if he wasn't doing enough. A part of him wondered whether the rest of his family had a hand in ensuring that he wouldn't come to harm, however much the extra manpower could be reasonably explained. That he's seen as the face of Zeon's future, especially after his risky gamble in the Dawn Rebellion before the war didn't help matters. _I can't blame them though. And yet…_

Such thoughts were only reinforced as he looked behind to find a pair of Zaku-IIs standing guard like knights next to an intact, if slightly vandalized Statue of Liberty. Of course, "Lady Liberty" had long taken on a much more ironic meaning ever since America was subsumed into the Federation; Garma briefly wondered why the denizens of Moore, most of whose forefathers hailed from North America, didn't immediately rebel or sever Side 4 from the Federation sooner. But while he frowned at such crude, premature displays of triumph as spray-painting "SIEG ZEON" on it – making a mental note to have the ones responsible for the graffiti suitably disciplined once New York's under control – he couldn't help but feel as if even the ancient landmark that once welcomed immigrants seeking a new life was judging him. As if he was nothing more than a pampered figurehead who, for all the advisors and generals nominally under his watch, had no place leading people to die. _That I'm unworthy of my name…No!_

"Pardon the intrusion, sir!" a female voice rang from the direction of the communications tent. Looking back, he saw a young, dark-haired woman, clearly one of the operators under his command; despite her evident exhaustion – especially given the nature of Earth's gravity – it still didn't dampen her upbeat if professional demeanor, her uniform still crisp. "A Maj. Gerhart Schmitzer just got on the line from California. He's asking for you specifically."

"Of course. After you, Lt. Kergerenkova," he nodded with a faint smile at the enthusiastic officer before gesturing her to lead the way; while he had no love for yes-men and opportunistic weasels, it never ceased to amaze seeing more than a few of his countrymen looking up to him. Yet, as he followed her to the tent, it seemed unusual. While he knew that man back in academy as a stern if fair instructor, the last he saw of him was shortly after the man got "promoted" to leading the Midnight Fenrir Corps – an autonomous unit purportedly intended to conduct field experiments – after being deemed "unfit" for frontline duty. _Why would he be here? Besides, isn't he under Kycilia?_

As he entered the large tent, cluttered as it was with hastily set-up equipment, Garma noted with some relief that the operator had also gone ahead to have it vacated. In front of him was a flatscreen with the words "SOUND ONLY" plastered in bold letters, clearly meant as a precaution in case someone else was around. He also noticed briefly how, despite the Slavic name, the woman looked a bit Asian before shrugging it aside; not many Spacenoids these days paid much attention to such things.

"Thank you, Lieutenant. Put it on screen."

"Right away, sir. Patching visual now."

An image promptly appeared of the interior of a mobile command vehicle, though the muffled sounds in the background suggested that it must be somewhere close to the frontline. The middle-aged figure amidst that scene meanwhile bore a calm yet steely look on his Germanic face; the more unique, pronounced features however betrayed the man's origins from Neue Konigsberg, one of the more peculiar Side 3 colonies founded by exiles from what was once Germany. The young Zabi knew of the stories surrounding its isolationist inhabitants: that that they're rumored to abide by some ancient _Ordnung_ run by a nobility going back to the ancient Holy Roman Empire and practice a form of eugenics, complete with a skewered supremacist ideology that would make Gihren grin approvingly. The man however didn't conform to such hearsay; the mere fact that he welcomed women into the Midnight Fenrir said it all.

"It's a pleasure to see you again, Maj. Schmitzer. How are things over your end?"

"If you can pardon the bluntness, the Federation put up a tougher fight here than expected. But it's nothing that we can't handle," the officer replied cordially before clearing his throat. "With all the defenses we've broken through, it's no surprise why. If intel's correct, then California Base's largest naval port should be within reach shortly."

"I wish I could be there to offer aid in person. Though at the moment, my hands are tied with Manhattan," Garma sighed even as he did his best not to show any weakness. While he was pleased to know that the operations out west were going as planned, quickly picking up on the wording – if the intel mentioned is indeed true, then Zeon would soon be able to challenge the Earthnoids even at sea – it still puzzled him as to why the man wanted to contact him specifically. _Especially when you work under my sister…_ "The sooner we get this done, the better for all it'd be. But I must ask, Major. As you're part of the Mobile AssaultForce, why seek any authorization from me?"

"We all have our duties, don't we? But on behalf of the Midnight Fenrir, I thought it prudent that you be made aware of our operations. After all, while we are technically separate from the EAF, Earth is under _your_ jurisdiction." The man smiled, his blue eyes firmly meeting the young Zabi's. "There's more to you than just a name and a pretty face, my lord. As such, we wish to help you win this war to the best of our abilities! Just give us the order, Commander!"

For a few moments, Garma was speechless. On the one hand, it's as if the expectations and burdens placed upon his shoulders just grew heavier; any lesser man his age would either cower before such pressures or go mad. _No…not me. Not as a Zabi!_ Yet it was in that weight, he knew as he gave a passing glance at the dark-haired operator that he found strength. For just as his fellow Spacenoids placed their hopes on him – and the promise of a better tomorrow for all humanity that he represented – he trusted his compatriots to do what was asked of them, even at the risk of death to make it happen. _Yes, so that's it. I'm not alone._

"Then by my authority," he bellowed as firmly as he could manage. "I expect great things from you and the Midnight Fenrir, Maj. Schmitzer! Do what you have to do, and good luck!"

"Yes, Commander! Sieg Zeon!"

The connection closed, Garma took a moment to close his eyes before glancing at Lt. Kergerenkova. From the knowing nod the operator gave, he could tell that no one else – except perhaps for Kycilia – would know that this conversation ever happened; that it happened at all was enough for him. _For now anyway. The real trials are only getting started._

"Is there anything else, sir?" he heard the woman ask with a hint of warmth just as he was about to leave the tent and return to the business of winning this war.

Already his mind was beginning to consider the next course of action once New York's inevitable fall is complete. He could picture it in the newspapers and websites: March 11, UC 0079. The day the so-called Big Apple – and with it much of the Atlantic Seaboard – fell to Garma Zabi's illustrious guidance. While Federation control across both coasts was steadily dropping, there were still holdouts to deal with on his end like the old American capital of Washington; that the image of the "gun-toting Yankee" had outlasted the United States didn't help matters. And that wasn't even getting to the longer process of winning over the hearts and minds of those soon to be under Zeon's rule once victory becomes certain. _Including those in Australia…they deserved far better than British…_

Even if it means delivering justice personally in a Dopp fighter or a Zaku-II, he'd have to face each trial head-on; at times like this, he quietly admitted, he felt tempted to be envious of his friend from academy Char Aznable, who's likely having a much easier time up in space. Still, as he turned around to meet the operator, he wasn't going to shirk from the weight, no matter how rough the road ahead would be. _Both for the Principality's sake and my own._

"Nothing," he smiled. "But thank you, Lieutenant. Carry on."

 _I hope…_

* * *

The "Mobile Assault Force" is a separate branch of Zeon's military under the direct control of Kycilia Zabi. Based from the Lunar city of Granada, it's comprised of various departments including intelligence agencies, R&D projects, and special forces units.

The EFGF is short for the Earth Federation Ground Forces. Originally referring only to the ground army, in practice the EFGF encompasses the Earth-side elements of Federation's military, including the Air Force and Navy as well as to a limited degree, space operations. Compared to the EFSF however, at least initially, they're also the most poorly-equipped, possessing outdated weaponry and personnel equipment.

The Statue of Liberty scene meanwhile is a direct reference to an in-universe photograph published by Sunrise.

The ACA-01 Gaw atmospheric attack carrier is a massive aircraft that's an evolution of both World War II bombers and modern-day military transport planes like the C-130. With a crew of 34 and armed to the brim with machineguns and even double-barrelled Mega Particle Cannons for defense among others, it can carry eight Dopps, three Mobile Suit units and even a contingent of tanks.

Lt. Kergerenkova is, yes, Kergerenko, a recurring Zeon character from UC works set in the One Year War. Interestingly, "Kergerenko" is the name given to her by fans (in reference to the transport craft Kergeren from _The 08th MS Team_ ), as she technically has no canon name aside from "Military Woman."

Maj. Gerhart Schmitzer and the Midnight Fenrir Corps are from the _Zeonic Front_ game, which combines third-person action with strategy. Like in canon, it was formed around the time of the Antarctic Treaty and serves as an autonomous and elite, covert-operations MS unit and is formally under Kycilia Zabi's wing. Schmitzer himself is also mentioned as having been a good MS pilot in his own right, but was injured in the initial fighting. The differences between the canon and Sieg Zeon versions are if present, rather subtle.

Schmitzer's backstory is a direct if slyly jabbing nod to the notoriously long (and long-abandoned) fanfic _In Vain Doth Valour Bleed,_ a Zeta Gundam-era tale about a Zeon Remnant group hailing from the peculiar if isolationist Side 3 colony of Neue Konigsberg, which is also the epicenter of an even older conspiracy involving German nobility, a monarchist plot and a Spacenoid supremacist ideology combining both Ubermensch beliefs and Gihren Zabi's views. In the Sieg Zeon version of events though, it's left open if at least some of those details are little more than rumors or hearsay.

California Base, which is actually a network of 20 military bases along the West Coast, is the Earth Federation's largest naval installation, made up of various naval, aerospace, and weapons development facilities. In canon (and playable in _Zeonic Front_ ), it's captured in its entirety on March 13, U.C. 0079, the submarine pens discovered there soon becoming a major factor behind Zeon's development of aquatic MS and the submarines meant to transport them.

Compared to most of the other chapters, this one took much longer to work out than first thought. Part of the reason is basically working the material almost entirely out of whole cloth though based on the "strategic" elements and maps of the relevant terms. In the process, it's led to some opportunities to do some world-building based on UC canon to give a bit more life into the 'verse. Another major reason though would have to be getting Garma's personality just right and not make him too inexperienced (given how he did get the proper training, among others), as well as seamlessly integrating the various nods and references in a manner that's consistent and smooth. Still, the end result's hopefully worth it!


	13. Chapter 9: Brush with Destiny

**_Sieg Zeon:_**

 ** _An Alternate Tale of the Universal Century_**

 ** _Chapter 9: Brush with Destiny_**

A few days had passed when the 12th MS Team received new orders from HQ. Using one of the newly fielded Gaw Assault Carriers and armed with refitted Ground Type Zaku-IIs, they're to be dropped behind enemy lines in what had once been Eastern Iran. While the rest pushed the Federation to the Persian Gulf, their objective meanwhile was to interdict a column of Type 61s and support vehicles – according to intel, en route from the Afghan highlands – before it could reinforce the remaining EFGF positions. The only support she and her teammates could expect would come from the Gaw itself as well as its onboard complement of vehicles. Given how the operation seemed easy enough on paper, it seemed more than sufficient.

 _On paper. It's never as easy it looks…_ 2nd Lt. Valeria Caine sighed inwardly as the recently promoted pilot made one more quick check on her onboard systems. As she did so, she noticed not only Duncan and Kazuki's Zaku-IIs but also the small detachment of vehicles and even Dopp fighters on standby not far from her. Even now, she couldn't help but admire even for just a few precious seconds just how large the Gaw really was on the inside and how it could even fly; leaps and bounds beyond the cargo planes and bombers the flying warship took inspiration from. Aside from some slight shaking, it was hard to tell that she was airborne at all. _Still, for how much longer-_

 _*"Approaching drop off point! Be advised, all personnel and units to your positions!"*  
_  
She tensed in the cockpit upon hearing the intercom message. Soon she and the rest of the 12th MS Team would be expected to jump from the rear hangar and safely descend to the ground; should the Gaw be detected before they could do so, they would be especially vulnerable to enemy attack, even with the Dopps primed to launch beforehand in such a situation. From the lack of any violent shakes or muffled sounds of gunfire however, it was evident that at least one fear could be set aside.

 _*"You heard the captain. Time to look alive,"*_ Duncan's calm voice crackled through the comms. * _"You missing the R &R already, Valeria?"*_

"Not at all," she crisply replied. "Besides, the sooner we get this done, the better." _I hope._

 _*"That's the spirit. Just stay focused on the mission and we just might have enough time to do some sightseeing!"*_

 _*"Really, Duncan? Only you can make empty steppes sound interesting,"*_ Kazuki deadpanned. * _"Still, for all we know there might even be some of those mad mullahs still hiding out there! Not like the Feddies did a good job cleaning up this part of the world!"*_

 _*"We can worry about rumors once this is done. Besides, even if those jihad stories are true, I doubt they'd be causing trouble now."*_

Valeria despite herself chuckled before checking the map brought up on her cockpit's displays one more time. Once the 12th MS Team deployed, they would advance into a forest that was quite near to the road the Federation's tank column and accompanying supply convoy would be using. Assuming the enemy didn't arrive early, they're expected to have more than enough time to make use of camouflage netting, among other measures, to hide their presence and prepare an ambush. After that, the actual attack plan was rather simple: Destroy targets at the front and rear of the enemy formation to restrict their movement, have the Gaw carpet bomb the hell out of them, and finish off whatever is left over.

It was definitely something the enemy wasn't likely to expect. _Still it seems just too easy. But what else could the Feddies possibly have here to think they'd stand a chance?_ As if on cue, the lights within the hangar turned red, which only meant one thing.

 _*"Now or never, Valeria,"*_ Duncan shrugged over the comms as the doors opened up. * _"Get ready to drop!"*_

The newly promoted pilot sighed as she positioned her MS. As the doors opened, she took a deep breath and gripped the controls.

"Roger that."

-o-

Valeria rocked violently within the confines of her Zaku-II as another salvo of cannon fire landed dangerously close to her position. Even with the best engineering Zeon provided, it was enough to shaken her even as she quickly regained her bearings.

 _*"You still alive?"*_ Duncan's voice rang with concern over the comms, his MS hard to spot amidst the smoke. * _"Do you copy, Valeria?!"*  
_  
"Y-Yes! I'm alright!" she gasped.

 _*"Then hurry the Hell up and bring down that Big Tray!"*_

"I'm trying!"

 _*"We'll provide covering fire. But get moving!"*  
_  
 _So much for an easy job._ That was something Intel had failed to pick up on going into this mission, she mused as she raced to find safer ground. At some point after the most recent recon photos had been taken, one of the Federation's Big Trays had joined the enemy forces meant to reinforce the frontlines in Eastern Iran. This did not change the plan. It merely complicated it. _And made this more lethal.  
_  
The land battleship in question was at the front of the formation when they finally engaged it. The new plan Duncan thought up had been to allow it to pass them unmolested. They would then attack the Type 61s and the rest of the convoy as planned, with the Big Tray itself saved for last after the main bulk of the enemy was reduced to burning scrap. None of them however had actually faced down such a large foe; while it was known to travel via hoverjets, they assumed its sheer size meant it would have poor maneuverability. Except for how it had been able to reposition itself far more quickly than its bulky appearance suggested, its main guns and antiaircraft systems all delivering relentless fire. Not even the Gaw or its firepower could come close enough without being shot down.

And as a result of that turn of events, Valeria thought, she was nearly obliterated by that latest salvo. _Right, stay focused…it's you or that thing!_ Finding a relatively safe spot on the Feddie vehicle's flank, she briskly primed the Cannon her Zaku-II carried. A modified version of the Magella Attack Tank's main weapon, it was simply much better at breaching heavy armor compared to the Machineguns used by Kazuki and Duncan.

But while she was the one best equipped to deal with the Big Tray, bringing the thing down would be all about the timing. Timing that had to be down to the right second, especially as the land battleship's myriad turrets began turning towards her position.

 _Wait for it…Wait for it…_

 _*"You're a sitting duck, Valeria!"*_ Kazuki snapped. * _"Just shoot that damn thing!"*_

"Not yet, not yet!" she muttered, more to herself than anything. _Almost there…_

 _…NOW!_

The Big Tray had aimed its turrets at her Zaku-II and made another go at ending her existence. At the exact moment the guns fired, however, she dodged to the left, raised her Cannon, lined up a shot, and with a quick pull of a trigger, fired. The enemy shells sailed past her and into the forest, harmlessly felling some unimportant trees. In contrast, Valeria's own round flew true and within a second pulverized the bridge in a large explosion that rippled through the behemoth. Before long, all that remained of the EFGF's biggest asset in the area was a smouldering pile of scrap metal.

And just like that, Valeria got her very first land battleship kill. She only had a few moments to breath heavily before the comms went active once again.

 _*"I don't know how you did that, but great shooting!"*_ Duncan commended, a trace of surprise in his voice. * _"Though we'll have to save the celebrations for debriefing. There are still some stragglers to mop up."*_

As he said this, there was the faint rumbling of explosions in the distance as the Gaw resumed its bombing run on what remained of the Feddie convoy. Valeria sighed as she sat up. It had been the closest brush with death since arriving on Earth just a few weeks earlier and somehow, she knew it wouldn't be the last. _Sometimes, I surprise myself…_ Yet as much as it continued to surprise her just how quickly she's getting used to the sights and sounds of war, she managed a smile knowing that she – and the 12th MS Team – made it through another day on the battlefield. All while doing her part in putting a blow to the arrogant Federation. _After all, what's victory if I don't live to see it?_

"Copy that, Duncan," she finally replied in the affirmative as she began aiming at a stray Type 61. _The sooner we get this done, the better._ _Yes…time to end this quickly._

Even before she pulled the trigger however, her single-handed strike on the Big Tray was beginning to spread up the chain of command. While she didn't know it then, her near-fatal encounter proved to have larger consequences.

* * *

It's mentioned in the backstory of _Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn_ that the Middle East was one of the first regions that the Earth Federation tried to reorganize and "prepare" for space resettlement in the final AD and early UC years. Even later on, it's stated that the area remains home to a number of Islamist and generally anti-Federation groups.

The ACA-01 Gaw atmospheric attack carrier is a massive aircraft that's an evolution of both World War II bombers and modern-day military transport planes like the C-130. With a crew of 34 and armed to the brim with machineguns and even double-barrelled Mega Particle Cannons for defense among others, it can carry eight Dopps, three Mobile Suit units and even a contingent of tanks.

The DFA-03 Dopp fighter jet is Zeon's answer to the atmospheric variant of the Earth Federation's Saberfish. While it excels in agility and in helping provide reconnaissance, it's found wanting in its aerodynamic design. Most notably, Garma Zabi is known to have piloted such fighters in canon.

The Type 61 MBT, also known as the M61, is the Earth Federation's main battle tank (MBT) and something of a conventional workhorse. First entering service in UC 0061, it's a double-barreled model that evolved from modern-day tanks like the Abrams and Leopard. With the discovery of Minovsky Particles and the later development of Mobile Suits, the Type 61 like most other conventional weapons systems was quickly outclassed, though it could nonetheless pose some threat if used as support and in bulk. Still, in canon it would remain in service as a Federation mainstay throughout the One Year War and beyond, even after the Federation's own MS rendered it obsolete.

The Magella Attack tank, also known as the HT-01B, is Zeon's equivalent of the MBT. While originally designed to counter the Type 61, the advent of Mobile Suits as well as the Magella Attack's own design limitations (imposed by among other things its detachable top) meant that it ultimately served to support MS and infantry. Its 175mm Cannon in particular is capable of serving not only as makeshift artillery but is also capable of taking down enemy vehicles with relative ease, including other MS; a modified version of the Cannon would eventually be used by Zeon MS as a weapon.

The Big Tray-class land battleship/landship, is one of the Federation's more potent weapons. Developed in the years prior to the canon OYW, it's an evolution of the battleships and hovercrafts of modern-day navies, its many mounted turrets not only capable of providing long-range fire support but are also powerful enough to destroy Mobile Suits.

As an aside, compared to most of the other chapters, this one took a bit of time to polish. And it's not just generally expanding on the relevant RP segments (in this case, Turn 15) and streamlining the flow of events, but also in trying to tie this seemingly small event into the wider context of the war, and later events too.


	14. Chapter 10: Into the Fray

**_Sieg Zeon:_**

 ** _An Alternate Tale of the Universal Century_**

 ** _Chapter 10: Into the Fray_**

The back patting and other such congratulations had yet to stop even though it'd been a couple of days since Valeria Caine took down that Big Tray. Once more finding herself being dragged back to Krayniy Airbase's main bar – now additionally adorned with Zeon flags and looted trophies for all to see – she still couldn't see what the big deal was, given how it'd been three days since that event. After all, it's not like she was the first person to ever bring down one of the Federation's land battleships. Especially by taking down its bridge with a well-timed shot.

 _There must have been others who'd done the same_ , she mused, sighing a little as her thoughts went back to when she passed that downed Zaku-II and the smoldering remains of the Feddie landship that killed said MS not so long ago. _Surely_ , _what I did wasn't unique._ However, despite her protests, it was decided by the other pilots on base that a party was required. _Another one at that._ While she was never much of a partier even back in her school days – her one-night escapades notwithstanding – it's still frankly bizarre for her just how many she'd been dragged into since joining the military.

"You look a little out of it, Valeria." She glanced to find Duncan grinning at her while taking a sip of scotch; despite the amount of alcohol consumed, he still bore a casual yet firm aura about himself. "Normally someone would love being at the center of attention!"

"It's not like I hate this or anything. But anyone could have done what I did, I think," she sighed. "Really though, the 12th as a whole should deserve just as much praise. I'd be a goner if not for you two."

"You really are too modest for someone who turned a moving fortress into scrap metal with that shot. Still, it's your night, so enjoy it a little! It's not everyday that this happens, you know. Hell, Kazuki is having the right mindset!"

As Duncan said this, he quietly gestured towards the other side of the bar, where their clearly intoxicated half-Asian teammate was evidently trying to woo another female soldier with the Code of Bushido. _Though I definitely don't recall it teaching seduction techniques._ Still, it seemed to be working, which was enough to cause a bemused Valeria to grin.

As Valeria's attention turned to the muted flatscreen TV close by, her thoughts snapped back to reality, even if only for a moment. From the ZeoNet news ticker, it seemed like there's yet another wave of landings underway, this time in Southeast Asia and Oceania; the war against the Federation was becoming genuinely global, and all within the span of a few weeks. Even with the great strides made so far, she knew deep down that if there's any end in sight, it's still a ways off. _If only you Earthnoids just listened, we wouldn't even be here!_ It was also then that she noticed a small group of unfamiliar officers sitting next to the counter, their uniform insignia indistinguishable due to the overcoats they had on. And unlike everyone else in the bar, something about their oddly nonchalant poise seemed to suggest that they weren't here to relax.

Then again, she'd been hearing rumors lately that some of those stationed here might soon be redeployed to the European Front in an effort to keep the advance westward going strong; word down the grapevine's that the 12th MS Team would be part of those reinforcements. Not only that, but some unit among them would also be given a special evaluation. _Guess they're trying to draw straws…or have they already decided?_ As if on cue, one of the officers casually stood up and made his way to where she and Duncan were seated. Without a word, the figure left a small piece of paper next to her superior's glass, letting slip a brief smirk before leaving. Which in turn only aroused her curiosity further.

"What does it say?" Valeria whispered once the strangers were gone. Her CO shrugged as he put the paper in his pocket. The way he looked at her however, betrayed both surprise and a hint of grim bemusement.

"Looks like we've caught some higher up's attention if he wants to see us in action to eagerly. Whoever he is, either the war's become such a crapshoot that the top brass can afford some field trials or things out there aren't as rosy as on the screen. Still, orders are orders."

The female pilot, despite herself managed a smile. "It's never that rosy anyway. Let's hope it's just another day on the field." _And stay alive in the process, too…  
_

-o-

It was the 21th of March, UC 0079 when the 12th MS Team finally received official word on the evaluation. Ever since arriving at Pleso Air Base in what had once been Croatia, they'd been told to remain on standby and rest while the rest of the forces stationed there took part in the planned conquest of Italy over the past week. The team however would not be part of that operation, which only made Valeria all the more anxious as she entered in the small, soundproofed theater where the briefing's set to take place; she and her teammates had barely gotten into their uniforms when the order came.

 _They're definitely trying to keep this secret._ She couldn't help but think back on the rumors she'd been hearing up until now, which not even Duncan could confirm. That the whole thing was some kind of experiment involving another prototype MS like the ones the now-famed 603rd Technical Evaluation Unit were known to do. That perhaps it's a cover for some sort of covert operation behind enemy lines, the kind of wetwork that might cost her a piece of her soul. _That or my life…No, that's crazy!_ Whichever way, the person conducting the whole affair apparently saw her team fit for the job. _But who?_

That answer soon came as the lights before them flickered open. Like her teammates, Valeria suspected that it must be the one of the generals commanding the forces here. To her and everyone's surprise however, the person who walked in from the right was a blue-haired aristocratic figure straight from the homeland, donning a light-colored, most likely customized officer's uniform; even the way he walked looked deliberate and a little pronounced. While not as popular or well known as the rest of Zeon's elite, the man's eccentricities – including an obsession for vases and antiques – were as well known as the aloofness on display. Yet despite all that, he was not only been given charge over the mining operations around Odessa, but if hearsay was right he answered directly to none other than Rear Admiral Kycilia Zabi; whether it was due to actual competence, connections in the right places or some mix of both, he gave an aura of someone not to be trifled with.

"I am Colonel M'Quve. And you must is the 12th MS Team, I see. Let me commend you all for your promptness, at least. That and your little exploits out east," the man intoned with an aloof yet firm air as he gazed at each one of them. With a small remote, he then brought up a map of Sicily on screen, several red dots concentrating around the southern coastline. "You have my permission to speak freely, but mind that the relative urgency of this evaluation leaves little room for pleasantries. While our most recent offensive has been successful so far, Federation forces in Southern Italy have proven themselves to be particularly – _stubborn_. Reconnaissance flights have shown us why. The enemy is planning a mass evacuation of their forces to Northern Africa. Their transports, both air and sea, have been amassed at a naval and air station in Sigonella, just north of Syracuse, Sicily. It's evident that their stubborn refusal to accept the inevitable is simply an attempt to buy time for their comrades to regroup.

"This must not come to pass. Trapping these forces in Sicily, and preventing them from joining another front, can only benefit Zeon in the long run. Our hope is that, after the destruction of their escape craft, the Federation forces will cease their pointless struggle and surrender. In this way, we can avoid further bloodshed in this region and further secure Europe. I needn't stress that this is the only window of opportunity that we have."

As the man finished, Valeria took a few moments to let the details of the operation sink in, all the while looking at the display. _That deep into enemy territory…_ Before she could even utter a word, she saw Duncan stand up. "Will all due respect, Sir. As vital as this evaluation is, will we have any support? When will it commence?"

There was a patronizingly coy, yet rather calculating look on Col. M'Quve's face as he chuckled. "Ah, Lt. Emerson, is it? Don't think that you'll be sleeping with the fishes on a one-way ticket. As we speak, a strike force is being organized that will attack randomly selected locations throughout Sicily in order to maximize confusion and keep the enemy off balance. While you attack Sigonella directly. While unfortunately we do not yet have enough of the new Dopp Kai available for this operation, an escort of Dopp fighters should be more than sufficient, the rest of your support coming from the Dodai YS your MS will be atop of."

"We're doing wha-" Kazuki snapped just as Valeria quickly nudged him and gave her teammate as stern a glare as she could in order to keep him quiet. Deep down though, the female pilot increasingly found it harder to tell which was more worrisome: the "evaluation" itself or the fact that she was going into combat on top of a bomber, something she hadn't even done before.

"Moving on, but given your training and recent performance I have little doubt that you will be able to reach your targets in due time. From _there_ though – well, I do hope our expectations aren't misplaced. Dismissed."

 _What do I have to lose?_ Just before Col. M'Quve was about to turn away, she took a deep breath and stood up; for a moment, she felt herself back in academy again. "One more question, Sir! As this is still an evaluation, how will we know we've passed?"

There was a bemused, yet enigmatic smirk on his face as he turned to meet her. "Rest assured that having given assurances to Lady Kycilia herself that this whole affair is not a waste of time – I have my means, 2nd Lt. Caine. You will know of our assessment once this operation is over and done. Good hunting."

At the back of her mind though, she couldn't help but fill in the unspoken condition. _Preferably with us all back in one piece.  
_

-o-

 _Ok...breath easy...focus!  
_  
Valeria was beyond happy that she had the foresight to go to the restroom just before leaving for this operation, which was but a minor comfort as she strained to keep her Zaku-II from tumbling off hundreds if not thousands of feets into oblivion, even with the magnets designed to keep her in place. While this meant that she needn't worry about pissing herself, this just put more attention on how she'd never actually ridden atop a Dodai before this operation, be it on Earth or in Space. _Whoever came up with this idea was either stupid or insane. Fuck standing on top of a flying platform!_ At least with a Gaw transport, she found some assurance and safety in being inside the flying machine carrying her to her destination. _Never again...and no, that not nearly enough times! Dammit, focus!  
_  
Shaking off her own fears, the Zeon pilot took a glance at her cockpit's console. The time and date read 0140 Hours, 22 March 0079. The MS Teams, fighter planes and bombers assigned to this risky operation as part of Col. M'Quve's strike force should have already begun their attacks across Sicily by now. While the night sky around her looked deceptively calm, she briefly imagined what sort of carnage was being inflicted on the hapless EFGF; while it's all meant to both draw out Sigonella's defenders and tie down any other enemy forces that might come to the base's aid, she still felt a tinge of sadness in denying them the ability to run away. _But if it means making them surrender, it has to be done._ If all went according to plan, she and her teammates would arrive with minimal resistance, which would make destroying whatever ships and aircraft were there a cinch. _And more people will get to live in the long run...I hope._

A few minutes passed before the altimeter began dropping, soon revealing the dimmed yet clearly worn-down Sicilian landscape and the lights marking the Federation base of Sigonella. Before long, a calm message crackled through the comms from the Dodai she was riding on.

 _*"We are approaching the LZ. Brace for missile barrage, over."*_

Duncan's voice soon came through, his words firm yet assuring. * _"Steady now. Prepare to jump on my mark."*_

As he said this however, the bombers, and as a consequence the Zaku-IIs of the 12th MS Team, shuddered as a barrage of missiles were unleashed on the Feddie base. Seconds after the warheads launched, the sounds of alarms and claxons vaguely audible amidst the imminent turmoil, her superior's voice came in loud and clear.

 _*"Mark!"*_

The magnetic locks keeping her and her teammates' MS attached to their Dodais were disengaged and they promptly leapt off of them. The Zaku-IIs touched down at just about the same time as the missile barrage annihilated several targets that might have posed a threat otherwise, mostly gun batteries, ATGMs and whatever anti-MS defenses the Federation's set up. Even Valeria admitted to herself how artistic, if not stylish the timing of that whole scene was. Whatever other musings she had were quickly cut off as Duncan chimed in through the team's main channel.

 _*"Alright you two._ _Remember what we're here to do. Our job is to hit the docks, smash their boats, and hit the airfield on the way out. This is a raid, so we aren't sticking around any longer than we have to. Let's get this evaluation done, people."*_

*" _Got it. Ready when you are_ ,"* Kazuki's voice quipped.

"Copy that Duncan," Valeria responded in turn. _The sooner the better!_

With a nod of acknowledgement from the lead MS, the 12th advanced directly into the base, all while squadrons of Dopps flew overhead towards the hangars. To her surprise, it seemed like she barely needed to fire even a warning shot as she and her teammates made their way to the docks; with most of the local defenders elsewhere save for a handful of APCs and the fighter escorts working to prevent any Feddie aircraft from lifting off, it proved faster than expected. Before long, she was able to locate the ships they needed to destroy.

 _*"Valeria, commence the attack! We'll provide additional cover!"*  
_  
 _Alright, time to finish this!_ Without saying a word and amidst the still-active sirens, she set off a synchronized barrage from her Zaku-II's leg mounted missile launchers, followed by those of her teammates. While Duncan and Kazuki provided suppressing fire with their Machineguns to deal with any would be heroes, she systematically sunk what ships remained from the initial strike. Each vessel blowing up with every shot she fired. In fact, she was starting to believe that this operation would be even easier than her very first sortie. _Perhaps too easy...something's wrong._

That was when the right arm of her CO's MS, along with its weapon, simply ceased to be in what looked like a small explosion not far from her.

"Duncan!"

 _*"I'm alright!"*_ The man's voice cringed as the smoke cleared, revealing a damaged yet still standing MS. * _"Just blow to Hell whatever the fuck it was that just tried to kill me!"*_

 _Son of a..._ While the attempt infuriated Valeria, it didn't take long for her to trace the source of the attack to a damaged warehouse. Through the gaping hole, she could clearly see what appeared to be a stolen Zaku-II with hastily added paint and some twisted, bulky abomination that looked way too much like an Zaku meshed together with a Type 61 seemed that the Federation's not only trying to jumpstart its own mobile suits, but it's no doubt the first of many. _Oh joy of joys._ As much as she dreaded the prospect of fighting more of those things and whatever else the enemy had in store, at the moment she had her orders.

As Kazuki immediately moved to aid Duncan, she in turn moved her MS towards the direction of the two Feddies. Without hesitation, she fired a burst of Machinegun fire at the abomination even as the latter surged forward, its main cannon primed. As the little duel went on however, it became apparent that the outcome was never in doubt, especially as the Zeon pilot's shots crippled whatever mobility the thing had. With a grim sigh and shrugging off the pitiful amount of bullets headed her way, she put down the now-smouldering machine like the bastard. _If only you surrendered rather than snipe us like cowards!_

"I've taken care of the enemy machine," she called out over the comms as her gaze turned to the stunned enemy. "The stolen Zaku's yours."

 _*"Way ahead of you!"*_ Kazuki quipped as his MS zoomed past her, all the while Duncan, apparently having recovered his weapon with his remaining arm, provided suppressing fire. The Feddie straggler, however turned to charge at the team's CO, only to be held back as the other Zaku-II managed to tackle him to the ground, a quick strike from a Heat Hawk soon turning the enemy still, permanently.

"Duncan? Are you alright?"

 _*"I can still move, Valeria. So yeah. I'm fine. Let's get the Hell out of here."*_

"Copy that." The female pilot took a brief moment to smile in relief and compose herself before quickly following the rest of her team. That the whole course of events happened over the course of less than 30 minutes, that they've been able to succeed so far despite the unexpected albeit failed Feddie ambush and whether or not they passed Col. M'Quve's evaluation would have to wait for debriefing. Right there and then, she was content knowing that with this act, victory inched ever closer and more lives would be spared. And that at least she's still alive to finish up the job, even if it was akin to going in and out like wraiths. _I just hope it's worth it._

Unbeknownst to the 12th MS Team, though, this was only the beginning of something else.

* * *

The last major component of the Earth Drop Operations involved the invasions of both SE Asia (particularly around Indochina) and Oceania (with part of Australia overrun). It is mentioned however that while some resistance Down Under (as seen in works like _Rise from the Ashes_ ), others notably embraced Zeon as a chance to break away from the Federation, which in turn would before long both help fuel local support for Spacenoids and make Garma Zabi's more humanitarian rehabilitation efforts easier.

Both Pleso Air Base and Sigonella are based on actual military complexes in real life, the former being the HQ of Croatia's Air Force (and situated within Zagreb's international airport) and the latter being a joint NATO/US and Italian naval and air base.

Colonel M'Quve is a rather major figure in Zeon's high command and an antagonist in the original _Mobile Suit Gundam_. A rather aristocratic figure, whose habits and eccentricities mask strong competence and piloting skills (in addition to a knack for fighting both nobly and dirty), not only is he in charge of the mining operations around Odessa (both for Zeon's war effort and its economy) but is Kycilia Zabi's closest and most loyal confidant and arguably the closest she has to a friend. And like in canon, he also has a thing for vases and antiques.

The Dopp Kai is an original design for the RP. While the original Dopp had excellent agility, in nearly every other field it was a pretty terrible aircraft. With the UMP having improved Zeon's logistics as well as how they handle R&D, Zeon was able to scrounge together the resources required to correct the Dopps flaws. It's more fuel efficient, faster, and has an improved climb rate. As such, its performance is much closer to that of the Federation's Saberfish, while still retaining it's superior agility and superior weapons.

The Dodai YS/Dodai GA is a Zeon bomber designed to serve as a flying missile launcher. But even more crucially, it's designed to serve as a flying platform for MS, thus can carry a Zaku-II on top with magnetic locks.

The Type 61 MBT, also known as the M61, is the Earth Federation's main battle tank (MBT) and something of a conventional workhorse. First entering service in UC 0061, it's a double-barreled model that evolved from modern-day tanks like the Abrams and Leopard. With the discovery of Minovsky Particles and the later development of Mobile Suits, the Type 61 like most other conventional weapons systems was quickly outclassed, though it could nonetheless pose some threat if used as support and in bulk. Still, in canon it would remain in service as a Federation mainstay throughout the One Year War and beyond, even after the Federation's own MS rendered it obsolete.

The Big Tray-class land battleship/landship, is one of the Federation's more potent weapons. Developed in the years prior to the canon OYW, it's an evolution of the battleships and hovercrafts of modern-day navies, its many mounted turrets not only capable of providing long-range fire support but are also powerful enough to destroy Mobile Suits.

The "mechanical abomination" in question is the RTX-44/RTX-440, one of the Federation's earlier attempts at developing mobile suits. Originally intended to be a replacement for the Type 61 MBT, the revelation of Zeon's MS developments resulted in it being redesigned to be more akin to an in-between from conventional tanks to mobile suits, though with poor mobility. Armed with a 220mm Cannon and a plethora of more conventional munitions, it would be the predecessor of the RX-75 Guntank.

As an aside, compared to most of the other chapters, this one is not only longer than usual but also took a bit of tweaking, polishing and making up new material. And this is not just in generally expanding on the relevant RP segments (in this case, Turns 16-18) and streamlining the flow of events, but also in making the course of events more consistently flowing.


	15. Chapter 11: The Dusk Wraiths

**_Sieg Zeon:_**

 ** _An Alternate Tale of the Universal Century_**

 ** _Chapter 11: The Dusk Wraiths_**

The raid on Sigonella, as far as the 12th MS Team was concerned, was all but complete. In fact, it hadn't taken long to move away from the docks as there simply weren't enough defenders left to slow them down by any significant measure. But while it likely meant that the diversionary attacks were supremely effective, Valeria Caine quietly hoped that it's actually because the enemy had already fed most of those forces into the fighting still going on in the Italian Peninsula. _And not in another ambush…  
_  
 _*"Alright. We'll advance down the runway and destroy any and all targets of opportunity,"*_ Duncan's voice crackled through the comms, still sounding firm despite the damage on his MS. * _"The Dopps and Dodais would have taken care of most them by now, but keep your eyes peeled."*_

"Copy that," the female pilot replied crisply as she and her teammates marched their Zaku-IIs down towards the airfield. As they drew closer, she noticed that while a good portion of the runways and hangars were indeed smoldering husks, there were still more than a few Federation planes still in one piece, ranging from a couple of Saberfish and Fly Mantas to Medea transports and even repurposed civilian cargo aircraft not too different from the replica C-130s she'd seen in a museum display in another, more peaceful time.

All the same, it was up to Kazuki to use his Machinegun to pulverize any light aircraft that were still on the tarmac. Meanwhile, Duncan used the remaining hand of his MS to lob cracker grenades into the intact hangars, the shrapnel and explosive power of the weapons making short work of planes and hangars alike; given the loss of one of his Zaku's arms, it was quietly decided that he would use the rest of the team's grenades as well. Whatever Feddie personnel left within the complex were in all likelihood either dead or were long gone; the alternative wasn't something worth delving into too deeply.

 _As for me? Everything else…_ Her attention was focused on the heavier targets in her sights. This mostly meant destroying Medeas, but also whatever Fly Manta or transport was left that still looked flyable. Even it if meant simply peppering the cockpit or engines of what amounted to glorified sitting ducks with multiple rounds, she wasn't about to let any of those get a chance to cause havoc down the line. _Time to finish this!_

Still, as Valeria opened fire, each round hitting home at its targets, she couldn't help but notice the Zeon aircraft circling above her and her comrades, almost like vultures. _Or like those paparazzi in the papers._ She smirked wearily at the sight, wondering whether those piloting those planes were in Col. M'Quve's payroll. No matter, for as soon as the guns went silent and the last Feddie craft had blown up, the comms went active once more.

 _*"Heads up, people,"*_ Duncan chimed, though with mix of relief and bafflement as his MS gestured to follow him. _"*Just got word our rendezvous point's been moved a further north. The Dopps will provide cover while we get the hell out of here, but stay sharp. We aren't out of the woods yet."*_

 _Almost like the Colonel still isn't finished with us._ "With respect. But do you think this still has something to do with the evaluation?"

 _*"With Vice Admiral Zabi's people? Wouldn't be surprised if they've been watching us the whole time!"*_ Kazuki quipped as they made their way into the dim, yet deceptively quaint Sicilian countryside. * _"Though I gotta admit, Duncan's beat-up Zaku marching valiantly would make for some good PR."*_

 _*"Let's save that for the ride back, shall we? I don't want to stick around in the limelight for too long!"*_

"Copy that," Valeria sighed with a weak chuckle, only to notice the ever increasing number of flashes in the night sky. It seemed like every Feddie still left in the region was rushing back. _Too little, too late. And we'd be out by the time they get here…hopefully._ She was sure the other MS Teams were holding their own doing whatever they needed to do.

 _I just hope we really did the right thing._

-o-

By all accounts the entire operation was a success. Within a few hours upon returning to Pleso Air Base, the Feddies across Italy were surrendering, especially when it became evident that their means to evacuate had literally been blown up. As it turned out however, the raid was one of two such missions, the other having taken place around the islands of Corsica and Sardinia by the 32ndMS Team at around the same time. Nonetheless, it didn't distract from the fact that the scenes of Earthnoids raising white flags or laying down their arms en masse were only made possible thanks to that mission.

All this, Valeria and the 12th MS Team saw unfold in the various displays in front of them, and right behind the man "evaluating" them. _Him and every other high ranking officer here_ , she thought quietly even while standing in attention, though hiding her surprise proved, as with her teammates, much more difficult to conceal. Though they had been given more than enough time to sleep, recuperate and even get a freshly pressed set of uniforms before they were called in for debriefing – to say nothing of having seen some of the news since returning from Sigonella – it still stunned her, seeing just how _efficient_ they were in the battlefield footage. To say nothing of the looks of approval on the other officials present which were clear as day. _But we just did what was asked of us. Why would they be so interested?_

"I mean it when I say that _this_ is most impressive," Col. M'Quve mused aloud before turning back to the group, a satisfied smile on his face as he nonchalantly switched off the displays. "Thanks to your efforts, the pacification of Italy is far ahead of schedule. While casualties, however small, are to be expected, the Zeon lives saved here exceed my expectations. All while neutralizing what would otherwise have been a future Federation threat. But before anything else, though, let me more properly introduce the victors of Corsica and Sardinia. Please send them in."

It was then, as if on cue that the three members of the 32nd MS Team walked in to take their places right in front of Valeria's, however, she noticed how they seemed somehow familiar, only to remember that old ZeoNet news report back in Odessa. Their immigrant-born CO, introduced as Lt. Melliflua El Seelia, seemed to betray an aggressive temper despite her composed demeanor in that broadcast, let alone the dark-haired officer looking barely any older than Valeria herself. Next to her was 2nd Lt. Ram Behtalhi, an older, long haired man of Asian ancestry whose seemed more at home in engineering or a hobby store than a Mobile Suit. The last one though, 2nd Lt. Rikka Cassell, stood out the most as the pale, bespectacled blonde girl seemed almost lost if not for her team leader ever so gently nudging her to the right position.

"Now then, there's a reason why I called all of you here, as this is more than just a commendation." Col. M'Quve cleared his throat, giving a knowing glance to the other officers alongside him for a moment before continuing. "With the approval of High Command and by my authorization, the 12th and 32nd MS Teams are to be merged into a new unit, formally designated the 7th Tactical Unit. Lt. Emerson is thus to take command of this unit, effective immediately."

This stunned every single member of what had moments ago been two separate teams. While some, particularly Kazuki and Rikka seemed thrilled by the prospect, Melliflua looked aghast at the notion of losing command to Duncan. The latter, Valeria couldn't help but notice, even as the young officer resisted the urge to grit her teeth as she feigned to speak.

"Permission to speak freely, _sir_."

"I'm afraid it will have to wait, Lt. El Seelia. But regarding your concerns, as second in command of your unit don't fret too much about losing your power – if _that's_ your inclination." The aristocratic Colonel then looked at each and every one of them with a knowing grin. "Back to the topic at hand, you must all be wondering why _you_ specifically have been chosen when others could have done what you did. I won't mince words: your valor in the field of battle is _indeed_ commendable – and also makes for good PR, as salesmen would say. As such, you are to raise the morale of your fellow soldiers simply by participating in the same battles as them. To give them hope, and in doing so drive them to fight harder. At the same time, your presence on the battlefield is expected to fill the Federation's soldiers with despair. _That_ is the unit purpose. Neither myself, Lady Kycilia nor anyone would choose some talentless amateurs for such a duty. Any questions?"

 _Propaganda…so that's it! To think we even did that well at all!_ Before Valeria or anyone else for that matter could even entertain the notion of voicing out her thoughts on the matter, Duncan cleared his throat. "Yes, Colonel. I suppose that this unit's formation hasn't been made public yet. But if we're to do our duty, on behalf of my – _our_ unit, is it possible to know in more specific detail what boosting morale will entail?"

"Quite perceptive, but of course. Rest assured that you and the rest of your comrades will be made privy to all the relevant details in due time. For now though, it should suffice to say that your public debut is set for March 30, with promotions and a parade in your honor forthcoming. Until then, in addition to training together as a cohesive whole and getting your uniforms pressed, you're to find a new color scheme for your MS befitting your new status and come up with a similarly appropriate name. After all, the 7th Tactical Unit doesn't exactly _scream_ intimidating or awe-inspiring. So I'll leave it to your discretion. Sieg Zeon."

As the newly formed team saluted the departing officers, the Colonel paused at the door for a second to mumble something. It was audible enough for the female pilot to feel just a tad unnerved.

"Don't disappoint me."

-o-

"If this is your idea of team-bonding, you're out of your mind!" Melliflua fumed from the other end of the common room they now shared as she tried in vain to open a clearly locked door. "Dammit, Duncan, open this door right this instant! What fucking Earthnoid though it's a good idea to have people get locked from the inside?!"

"Relax, Ma'am," Ram sighed. "I'm pretty sure our glorious leader has something in mind."

From her end, Valeria took a moment to sigh at the sight. _And to think we're supposed to boost morale…not break it!_ Despite spending the better part of a week training together, the time those who once considered themselves to be a part of the 12th and 32nd MS Teams had actually spent socializing with one another has been abysmal. The heated arguments over what custom paint job to make their MS and what to call themselves were the most either trio had actually spent talking to the other. In hindsight, the color scheme proved the easier one to resolve, as most everyone liked dark-blue. _And we haven't even settled on a name yet._ She wasn't only one to have noticed this, either. At the very least Duncan had as well, seeing as he locked everyone here together _. A bit…excessive though, don't you think?_

"Alright, all of you. You listen and you listen good," the CO finally intoned as he stood up after spending a few minutes in silence. "We're a team now. That makes us comrades. _Family_. And you know damn well that family talks to one another. So we're going to sit down, talk to each other, become buddies, and we're going to like it. If you _don't_ …"

As he trailed off, however, she noticed him pulling out something from his pocket, her eyes widening upon seeing what it was. _Is that a taser?! You're not seriously thinking of actually using it._ For a few tense moments, he playfully waved the small device around like a toy. Until at last he tossed it to Melliflua, only for her to find that there were no batteries at all inside. As relieving as it was, knowing that the situation didn't escalate further, it was nonetheless surreal. _But still, that's kind of fucked up._

"Very funny, Emerson," the female officer finally relented, deadpanning despite herself before turning to her teammates. "You heard the man. Let's just get this over with."

Thankfully though, it looked like the others were much more receptive to the idea. The rest slowly but surely were breaking the ice, with Kazuki in particular keenly talking about his love for old-timey knights and samurai. _That explains his melee obsession more than his "Bushido" seduction techniques, anyway._ Valeria, though quietly managed to approach Ram, who seemed remarkably jovial as though this were one of his old office get-togethers. To her surprise, he was the first one to speak.

"You're probably wondering how we ever put up with Melliflua, Caine. She's actually rather nice and driven – if you're on her good side. Or on a good day."

"Valeria's fine, Ram," she replied with an awkward smile, though with her curiosity peaking. "It's a bit hard to reconcile _that_ with her, um, attitude."

"Well, that's what I thought too. Back before this mess, she used to be in the Zeonic National Ballet. Apparently she liked those tutus as much as she still loves the homeland. Though you didn't hear that from me," he explained with a shrug. "Then some assholes played a prank on her. Whether it was because they're jealous of her looks and genes, it led to a bad leg. One thing led to another, add a dash of Officer Training, and _voila_. Though after what she had to endure, can't say I blame her for becoming so – _temperamental_ , especially out in the field. "

"Then what about you? With all respect, you do look a bit-"

"Old for the draft?" he chuckled. "I get that a lot. Heck, becoming a MS pilot and blowing up Feddie shit are probably the last things you'd expect from a Colony Corporation contractor. But I don't really mind. It's not everyday you get to be inside those MS or savor all their beauty. The Zaku-II _is_ a marvel of Zeonic's excellent engineering, after all! And that's not even getting to all the classified information we might see!"

 _I can see why you've gone this far!_ It was then that Valeria remembered his other teammate, which proved a more awkward subject. From what she knew of that blond girl, her family lineage – apparently of Finnish origin or thereabouts – goes back to the early pioneers of Side 3. But even though she'd seen action in Odessa and the Mediterranean alongside her comrades in arms, it was still hard to believe that she's lasted this long at all. Especially given how her peculiar habits made training alongside her, let alone interacting with her rather challenging. More often than not, she wasn't following orders so much as stumbling on them. _Then again, there are all those rumors of her having almost superhuman awareness…stay focused!_

"As thrilling as that all is, I've always wondered about Rikka-"

"Did someone call me?" As if out of the blue, the young woman managed to make her way close by. Despite her clumsiness, she still managed an almost apologetic smile even while fixing her glasses. "S-Sorry about that, Valeria! But where you calling me or something?"

Quickly overcoming her momentary surprise, she took a deep breath. _Here goes…_ "Don't take this the wrong way, Rikka, but I can't help but wonder. How did you manage to make it through here? Why are you even a part of this unit?"

"Because I-I was part of the 32nd MS Team. And the higher ups created the unit by combining it with your 12th," she replied with a confused look on her face, before suddenly turning into fear. "W-What are you saying?"

 _Oh no…that wasn't it at all!_ "No! Not at all! I didn't mean to offend," Valeria hurriedly tried assuring her, only to notice tears starting to fall onto her uniform. "It was just-"

"Am I getting kicked out?!" Rikka snapped, her voice increasingly panicked as she stepped back. "W-What have I done wrong? I'm doing the best I can! P-Please don't do this!"

Before anything else could happen however, Melliflua stepped in between them, her attention wholly on the blonde girl. Straining to fight off the guilt surging through her body, Valeria watched as the mixed-race former ballerina calmed her fellow pilot down with a gentleness that's so opposed to her aggressive nature. At least until the young officer's gaze turned sharply at her. _Oh…fuck…_

"Look, I didn't mean to!" she began pleading. Only to find, to her surprise that the sharp eyes staring into her soul weren't filled with malice at all.

"I know. And I don't blame you Caine, even if it's something a bastard would otherwise do." A somber grin began lining Melliflua's otherwise stern face as she fixed the collar on her uniform. "Rikka may be a ditz, yes. Even with her skills, the higher ups don't think she's suited to the greater responsibilities that come from moving up the chain of command. But take it from me, she's a good as it gets! If not for her, we might not even be breathing right now."

"I understand," Valeria sighed, glancing briefly and apologetically at a much calmer Rikka who to her surprise nodded warmly back. "There goes breaking the ice."

"You're not the only one," the officer nodded. "I should also apologize for putting all this off for too long. Must be Emerson rubbing off on me – But he's right. If we're to make it through this war alive _and_ help our comrades do the same, we really should be that one family everyone looks up to. Or _try_ , anyway." She then gave a firm pat on the shoulder. "Nice work back in Sigonella, by the way!"

All around them meanwhile, Valeria noticed how much livelier the rest of the unit had become to each other. And while she couldn't help but notice that no one else asked her anything, a dialogue was started. It really seemed like Duncan's plan seemed to be working as intended. Then he suddenly cut in with a satisfied smile on his face.

"Fuck this. As fun as this is, why don't we just hit a bar or something, Dusk Wraiths?"

 _Dusk Wraiths?_ "Um, Duncan, I thought you were still divided on _that_ name?"

"I l-like it though!" Rikka grinned. "It sounds so _cool_ and mysterious! We even do it a lot! And b-besides, t-the parade's tomorrow!"

"Then that settles it!" Melliflua smirked briefly before sliding into a rougher voice. "Dusk Wraiths, you heard the CO, get your asses moving and goof off!"

As they finally made their way out, Valeria couldn't help but chuckle. Sure, her "new" teammates may yet need some getting used to, and their newfound role as walking propaganda – thanks to Col. M'Quve no less – just upped the stakes, with potentially all of Zeon looking on. Still, she wasn't too worried. There's still time to enjoy the bar before the real tasks begin. _And a little camaraderie can go a long way._

There's no doubt about it: a new chapter in her life and that of the now-christened Dusk Wraiths had begun. Though at that point, neither them nor the people who saw their talents could have really anticipated the exploits to come.

* * *

Both Pleso Air Base and Sigonella are based on actual military complexes in real life, the former being the HQ of Croatia's Air Force (and situated within Zagreb's international airport) and the latter being a joint NATO/US and Italian naval and air base.

Colonel M'Quve is a rather major figure in Zeon's high command and an antagonist in the original _Mobile Suit Gundam_. A rather aristocratic figure, whose habits and eccentricities mask strong competence and piloting skills (in addition to a knack for fighting both nobly and dirty), not only is he in charge of the mining operations around Odessa (both for Zeon's war effort and its economy) but is Kycilia Zabi's closest and most loyal confidant and arguably the closest she has to a friend. And like in canon, he also has a thing for vases and antiques.

The ACA-01 Gaw atmospheric attack carrier is a massive aircraft that's an evolution of both World War II bombers and modern-day military transport planes like the C-130. With a crew of 34 and armed to the brim with machineguns and even double-barrelled Mega Particle Cannons for defense among others, it can carry eight Dopps, three Mobile Suit units and even a contingent of tanks.

The DFA-03 Dopp fighter jet is Zeon's answer to the atmospheric variant of the Earth Federation's Saberfish. While it excels in agility and in helping provide reconnaissance, it's found wanting in its aerodynamic design. Most notably, Garma Zabi is known to have piloted such fighters in canon.

The Dopp Kai is an original design for the RP. While the original Dopp had excellent agility, in nearly every other field it was a pretty terrible aircraft. With the UMP having improved Zeon's logistics as well as how they handle R&D, Zeon was able to scrounge together the resources required to correct the Dopps flaws. It's more fuel efficient, faster, and has an improved climb rate. As such, its performance is much closer to that of the Federation's Saberfish, while still retaining it's superior agility and superior weapons.

The Dodai YS/Dodai GA is a Zeon bomber designed to serve as a flying missile launcher. But even more crucially, it's designed to serve as a flying platform for MS, thus can carry a Zaku-II on top with magnetic locks.

The FF/B-2 Fly Manta is a Federation fighter-bomber used frequently to attack ground targets and in relatively large numbers. Which is further helped along by their ease of production.

The Medea Transport Plane is, as the name suggests, serves as the Federation's main supply aircraft. While its principal purpose is to carry vital cargo to and from the frontlines and is barely armed, it's capable of transporting as many as three Mobile Suits.

As an aside, although this one technically starts off where Chapter 10 ended, the main focus is on how the 12th MS Team that Valeria's a part of actually became the Dusk Wraiths that would feature prominently and decisively over the rest of the RP. As such, the main focus is more on character development than action, all while formally introducing the members of the 32nd MS Team, comprising the other half of the Dusk Wraiths, into the plot.

Compared to most the previous chapters, this one required much tweaking, revisions, writing wholly new material and general creative licence so as make things more fluid and natural. Thus while it does combine Turns 19-21 of the original RP, the course and flow of events have been streamlined and altered to be more consistent. Still, as much as possible I tried to keep the overall spirit as faithful.

Apologies as well for the very long delay!


	16. Chapter 12: Leading the Charge

**Author's Notes:** It's been well over a year since the last chapter for the fic adaptation for the SpaceBattles Forum RP _Sieg Zeon._ But after delaying for far too long, it's _definitely_ back!

This particular chapter (mainly combining Turns 22-23 of the original RP) focuses on the Dusk Wraith's first proper mission as a single unit in Nagpur, India, serving as front line morale-boosters. At the same time, it's also on how Valeria and company are not just becoming closer to one another (while also reflecting Zeon's more unisex/gender-neutral aspects) but also how they've grown through training and experience more accustomed to the battlefield.

Compared to many previous chapters, this one required much tweaking, writing wholly new material and general creative licence so as make things more fluid and natural. This also involved giving Rikka more lines and hints to her implied Newtype potential, more attention to the Dusk Wraiths off the battlefield and more fleshed-out ground combat. All the same, hopefully the result is faithful to the spirit of the RP.

* * *

 ** _Sieg Zeon:_**

 ** _An Alternate Tale of the Universal Century_**

 ** _Chapter 12: Leading the Charge_**

The event meant to introduce the 7th Tactical Unit to the public a little over a week earlier was a straightforward affair. Just as Col. M'Quve had said, there was even a parade arranged that, while nowhere near as grand as the ones back in the homeland, still looked impressive enough to have the media broadcast it for posterity. For the Dusk Wraiths, as they came to call themselves, everything from the opening speech to shaking hands with some of the top brass, to waving and saluting to the cameras, was all a blur. Everything except for the party back at Pieso Air Base, each of them knew, was a formality for something they had already earned in Sicily.

 _At least there's that_ , Valeria Caine mused while putting on her uniform, fresh and ready for another routine day. Indeed, that and training in their mobile suits were pretty much all she and her comrades in arms had been doing since that public show. But given how they could still be called at any moment to the front, she couldn't afford to be complacent in a mission lest they end up dead and forgotten. _And to think there's more yet to come._

"You ready, Val? Duncan and Melliflua have already gone ahead!" Kazuki called from the other end of the locker room. Had it been anyone outside of the Dusk Wraiths, she'd beat them up, whether or not she's clothed.

"Just give me a few moments. That is, unless you want to leave a lady alone," she joked with a smirk as she walked towards him. "Besides, training's not for another hour. You know how those two are."

"Lady? You?" he scoffed jokingly. "No offense, but you're one to talk-"

"Afraid that might have to wait, guys," Ram's voice intoned as he came into view. On his hands was a newspaper. "Word is, some new battle plan's in the works. That, and some new hardware's being shipped here today. Either way, looks like our vacation's done."

 _That's one way to call it._ Taking a glance at the paper, Valeria's eyes narrowed slightly. She knew that in the time since the Dusk Wraiths' public reveal, the forces of Zeon had overrun much of North America, Southeast Asia and Oceania, with the EFGF seemingly on the retreat everywhere. Which wasn't getting to that ZeoNet "special report" about a fifth drop over in the Middle East that's pushing hard into North Africa. But the text and many of the accompanying images showed what was clearly India being surrounded. Even if it's little more than propaganda – right down to the "NEXT STOP: TAJ MAHAL" headline – it's still remarkable how far they've come since first landing here, and it's only April 9. _Yet the Feddies still haven't given up?!_

"Do you think the fighting will be over by the time we get there?" she heard Kazuki ask Ram.

"If only that were true. Otherwise they wouldn't call us," the quipped before turning to her. "Something on your mind, Valeria?"

Surprised upon being lost in her own thoughts, she tried to shrug meekly. "Sorry, it's nothing. Well, nothing new that you've already heard."

Ram, though, smiled. "Think of it like stretching your legs. Besides, even if things go south, I'm sure we can handle it!"

Valeria returned the favor before following him and Kazuki outside. After spending much time in the base, going through the various corridors and prefab buildings just to get to the right set of modified hangars didn't take as long as it had been at first; in its own way, it's almost like training her spatial awareness all by itself, what with all the constant activity going on. As the group made their way in, she was able to make out Duncan and Melliflua, as well as group of mechanics as they removed the canvas coverings from a set of six mobile suits; from the thrusters peeking out from the legs, the new MS were clearly the newest iteration of the Zaku II. Even more surprising though was how those were already painted in the dark blue color scheme they finally settled on.

"That's the MS-06G High Mobility Ground Type. Zeonic's latest answer to Earth's gravity," Ram whispered. "They're not supposed to be ready for another few weeks!"

"You're right, Ram. These arrived fresh off the assembly line. Col. M'Quve wasn't lying about giving us these ahead of time. Though I've been assured that they're in good working order," Duncan quipped as he and his second in command finally turned around to greet them. "Now then, where's Rikka?"

"Here!" came another voice as a young blonde woman ran over, seemingly out of nowhere to stand next to Valeria. "S-Sorry! I was just excited about seeing the new toys!"

As much as the Dusk Wraiths were beginning to be more than just another unit, she still hadn't quite gotten used to Rikka's weirdness. _How do you do it? Yet something about you…_

"Alright, if you're all done slacking off, listen up!" Melliflua snapped, calling everyone into attention. "I hope you're all well-rested because we're to acclimate ourselves with the new Zaku-IIs immediately. Given the odds that we'll be ordered to the front in Nagpur, India within the day, we can worry about changing to our pilot suits later."

"India?" Rikka asked. "You mean that place with the snakes? We're not going to blow up the Taj Mahal, right?"

Duncan bit back a chuckle before clearing his throat; even with a larger command, save for formal events he still wasn't one for protocol. "We've all heard the news by now. But from what the higher ups have said so far, unfortunately, so does the Federation. They can't afford to allow the Eurasian and Southeast Asian fronts to meet up, or fuck up any more than they already have."

"So that's why they chose this Nagpur place?" Valeria asked, knowing well that that could mean. "It's right in the middle."

"Precisely. While the exact specifics of our mission will be briefed to us on route, this much is certain: As we speak, the offensive is being spearheaded on two fronts by MS forces consisting primarily of Ground Types. Magellas and Dopp Kais would provide the bulk of non-MS support over there, along with Gaws and Dabude Land Battleships. There'll also be smaller number of High Mobility Ground Types to support the push – and that's where we come in."

"To be an inspiration to our comrades in arms. But don't think that it'll it be a cakewalk," Melliflua continued grimly while handing out a set of photographs. "Intel says that the area's a pain to go through. Expect the Feddies to use whatever guns and defenses they could scrounge up against us at every step. On top of those, there are several lakes that leave behind muddy clay bogs during the dry season. So if you think you're going to breeze through them, looking like an idiot before everyone else will be the last thing on your mind."

"Come on," Valeria heard Kazuki mumble under his breath while shaking his head. "We know they'll be armed to the teeth. But we've got them on the run ever since getting here! They'll-"

"Skin you alive if you keep that attitude, Curtis!" the female officer snapped with a hint of a groan. "Look, those Earthnoids may have their souls weighed down by gravity, but they're sore losers and even more stubborn bastards. If we're to lead by example, then try to stay alive!"

"She has a point," Duncan shrugged before straightening up. "We can't afford to be so reckless anymore. Being better pilots can only help Zeon in the long run, after all. And that means getting to your MS now, Dusk Wraiths."

Without another moment's hesitation, they all made for their respective Zaku IIs. In Valeria's head, however, she wondered if even with all their training and experience, they'd be ready.

-o-

It was one thing to see the lay of the land around Nagpur through surveillance photos and overhead maps, from its tropical greenery to the large plateau that it was situated on. It's another for the Dusk Wraiths to actually see it all for themselves upon being dropped off from their Gaw transport, which they boarded only a few hours earlier. After several generations, nature had reclaimed much of the old Indian city's outskirts, the tiger-infested forests and marshes almost alien to their eyes. Save, however, for a few overgrown buildings left to rot, in any other time the sight would have been as familiar to the Indians of yesteryear as their still-distinct descendants.

 _Up until now._ From where Valeria and the rest of her teammates were standing, they could see the battle raging in all of its intensity. Just like in every engagement before this one, the enemy Type 61 MBTs continued to put up a futile resistance in the face of advancing Zaku IIs using the greenery as cover. While on the skies above, she saw throngs of Saberfish and Fly Manta fighter-bombers burst into flames from fire by ergonomic Dopp Kais fresh off the assembly line.

Before her very eyes, yet another formation of Type 61s simply disappeared as a new wave of Gaws began their bombing runs. Even before the dust fully settled, she knew that there wouldn't be any stragglers left. _They're simply gone._ It wasn't the first time this happened, however. Each time those flying fortresses obliterated a defensive position with their payloads, the MS would surge forth, overwhelming what dared survive. She stayed calm amidst such sights. As much as there was something almost admirable about the Feddies' stubbornness despite such odds, seeing their lives wasted so senselessly never got easier. While that thought alone was ever so slightly unnerving, it still wasn't enough for her to wish that they were able to put up a better fight. That would be foolishness, for if they did, it would only result in the deaths of Zeon's sons and daughters. _If only they just die already!_

As the Dusk Wraiths moved nearer to the front, however, Valeria not only got a better view of the core defensive lines. But also even more of those bizarre looking vehicles like the ones encountered back in Sicily. Somehow managing to look even uglier in broad daylight, the biggest advantage those lumbering monstrosities had over the conventional Type 61s was how their cannons could actually damage a MS significantly without resorting to massive barrages. To her surprise, she watched through her monitors how more than a few foolhardy Zaku-IIs charging recklessly ahead were downed, if not blown up by those attacks. _Melliflua's right. We've been getting too used to being invincible. No matter._

The comms coming alive with Duncan's voice quickly caught her attention.

 _"Valeria, Kazuki, Ram…Move to the S1 Point and crack some skulls. I'll take Melliflua and Rikka to the S3 Point. Remember, we're supposed to serve as an example to others. So do the Principality proud."_

"Roger, that." She took a deep breath as Duncan's group set off. Glancing at the map on her displays, she then switched over to her group's channels. "You heard that, boys. We all know what to do, but you have any suggestions, make it quick."

" _I wouldn't mind stabbing that bulky pile of junk straight ahead, Val!"_ Kazuki quipped with excitement. " _Damn things are a sight for sore eyes!_ "

" _I'll take the Big Tray to your left flank. Though there's more than enough for all of us._ " Ram remarked matter-of-factually. " _We're ready when you are_."

Valeria nodded inside her cockpit, as though she was speaking to them face to face. Steeling her nerves, she proceeded to set her sights on a set of Type 61s, IFVs and missile vehicles. If the Dusk Wraiths were to lead by example, she realized, they'd have to not just give their best and come out alive. War offered little opportunity for grandstanding, at least not for those slogging it out on the front. But action, with a little flourish, would make for a greater motivator than anything else. _No time for fancy speeches anyway. Let's get this done!_ Then with a firm voice, even as she primed her MS, she announced over the comms for all to hear.

"Sieg Zeon!"

Using the agility and ease of movement made possible by the High Mobility Ground Type's leg thrusters, she and her teammates charged forward past the 50 Zaku IIs and 150 Magella Attack tanks that formed the bulk of the main Zeon line. Nimbly dodging enemy cannon and ATGM fire, some of which seemed to be too close for comfort even for her, they went straight through the center of the EFGF's fractured lines and towards their first real targets.

Just as planned, she readied her Magella Cannon and then coming to a halt, opened fire on her prey. She barely glanced as each Feddie vehicle burst into flaming debris as her attention quickly turned to one of the lumbering abominations just as Kazuki lunged and struck it with a Heat Hawk. Without another moment wasted, she went to the left to help Ram take on the Big Tray, making it just in time to find him firing his own Magella Cannon rounds on the front turrets, which soon struck home. Even with the damage wrought about by an earlier Gaw bombing run, taking on even a smaller land battleship would have been a challenge for any MS pilot not so long ago.

 _Not anymore_. Taking a moment to focus, she pulled the trigger on the exposed bridge, which brought the imposing mobile weapons platform to a complete halt, rendering it nothing more than a smouldering carcass. To her surprise, however, one of the turrets still remained functional, but before it even aim properly, a Cracker Grenade throw followed by Machinegun fire from what looked to be Rikka's MS from the north finally brought it down for good.

Before Valeria could even reply a "thank you" or wonder how that girl managed to make that shot, her fellow Dusk Wraith seemed to be pointing right behind her. Turning around, she found that her fellow comrades were charging into the fray, guns blazing before the collapsing Earthnoids. It wasn't quite like it'd be in the movies, but the sight of Zeon's might surging forward astounded her. For a second though, she wondered whether those people even knew who she and her teammates were. If there were still any native Indians around who would hail them as "liberators," if at all. Or if the colors of their MS mattered if they're but one out of many on a global battlefield. _But still..._

 _"We...inspired them, right?"_ she heard Rikka ask over the comms. _"Right! The mission! Hurry, guys! We're coming very, very close!"_

The Zeon pilot shrugged those thoughts aside as she held back a grin. _I suppose we have._ "Let's not keep them waiting, then."

 _"You got that right! Nagpur, here we come!"_ Kazuki quipped, still audibly excited from combat as his MS surged ahead.

Ram seemed to chuckle. _"We're still on the clock, Valeria. Let's get this done quickly!_ "

Readying her thrusters with a soft smirk on her face, she braced herself. April 10, UC 0079 could be chalked up as just another victory for the record books and another decisive blow to the Federation, as far as she cared. But for the Dusk Wraiths' first proper mission, she slowly realized, they're already starting to events far beyond their grasp. _Our actions showed as much...but best to save that for after the dust settles._

"We still have a battle to win!"

Thus they all surged forward into the fray. And in that Indian spring, they would find glory.

* * *

The last major component of the Earth Drop Operations involved the invasions of both SE Asia (particularly around Indochina) and Oceania (with part of Australia overrun). It is mentioned however that while some resistance Down Under (as seen in works like _Rise from the Ashes_ ), others notably embraced Zeon as a chance to break away from the Federation, which in turn would before long both help fuel local support for Spacenoids and make Garma Zabi's more humanitarian rehabilitation efforts easier. In the RP, another drop is mentioned as having occurred over the Middle East, adding even more strain on the Federation forces.

The EFGF is short for the Earth Federation Ground Forces. Originally referring only to the ground army, in practice the EFGF encompasses the Earth-side elements of Federation's military, including the Air Force and Navy as well as to a limited degree, space operations. Compared to the EFSF however, at least initially, they're also the most poorly-equipped, possessing outdated weaponry and personnel equipment.

Both Pleso Air Base and Sigonella are based on actual military complexes in real life, the former being the HQ of Croatia's Air Force (and situated within Zagreb's international airport) and the latter being a joint NATO/US and Italian naval and air base.

In addition to Nagpur being the "tiger capital of India" in real life, it's also situation in the Deccan Plateau, which is filled with various bogs, forests and shrublands.

The ACA-01 Gaw atmospheric attack carrier is a massive aircraft that's an evolution of both World War II bombers and modern-day military transport planes like the C-130. With a crew of 34 and armed to the brim with machineguns and even double-barrelled Mega Particle Cannons for defense among others, it can carry eight Dopps, three Mobile Suit units and even a contingent of tanks.

The Dopp Kai is an original design for the RP. While the original Dopp had excellent agility, in nearly every other field it was a pretty terrible aircraft. With the UMP having improved Zeon's logistics as well as how they handle R&D, Zeon was able to scrounge together the resources required to correct the Dopps flaws. It's more fuel efficient, faster, and has an improved climb rate. As such, its performance is much closer to that of the Federation's Saberfish, while still retaining it's superior agility and superior weapons.

The FF/B-2 Fly Manta is a Federation fighter-bomber used frequently to attack ground targets and in relatively large numbers. Which is further helped along by their ease of Medea Transport Plane is, as the name suggests, serves as the Federation's main supply aircraft. While its principal purpose is to carry vital cargo to and from the frontlines and is barely armed, it's capable of transporting as many as three Mobile Suits.

The MS-06G Zaku II High Mobility Ground Type is a newer variation of the Zaku II fitted with, among other improvements brought by the UMP, additional leg boosters. These help make the High Mobility Ground Type very maneuverable on the ground compared to previous models and thus, one of the highest-performing Mobile Suits in the OYW.

The "mechanical abomination" in question is the RTX-44/RTX-440, one of the Federation's earlier attempts at developing Mobile Suits. Originally intended to be a replacement for the Type 61 MBT, the revelation of Zeon's MS developments resulted in it being redesigned to be more akin to an in-between from conventional tanks to mobile suits, though with poor mobility. Armed with a 220mm Cannon and a phletora of more conventional munitions, it would be the predecessor of the RX-75 Guntank.

The Big Tray-class land battleship/landship, is one of the Federation's more potent weapons. Developed in the years prior to the canon OYW, it's an evolution of the battleships and hovercrafts of modern-day navies, its many mounted turrets not only capable of providing long-range fire support but are also powerful enough to destroy Mobile Suits.

For those confused by the acronyms, ATGMs are "Anti Tank Ground Missiles" and IFVs are "Infantry Fighting Vehicles," which are familiar elements in real life conventional warfare.


	17. Chapter 12-5: History Lesson

**_Sieg Zeon:_**

 ** _An Alternate Tale of the Universal Century_**

 ** _Chapter 12.5: History Lesson_**

For someone like Rear Admiral Kycilia Zabi, she'd become many things for those under her command and outside it. Aloof and elusive yet involved in some way or another with matters seemingly beneath her. While she lacked her brother Gihren's charisma, she made up with a cunning if not manipulative streak that brought her far in Side 3 and beyond. It also meant that more people feared than admired her, but there's a certain earnest respect gained through such means. Even if it meant getting her own hands dirty.

 _Whatever it takes. But there's always more left to be done, isn't there?_ she mused with a seemingly dispassionate sigh as she glanced out the window of her sparsely decorated yet spacious office. _Not that I don't mind._ The HQ of Zeon's Mobile Assault Force occupied a former EFSF complex not far from downtown Granada, with the main building that she was in giving an almost panoramic view of the lunar city. The artificial sky that loomed over the vast settlement had begun dimming to simulate evening, with the bustling lights of its myriad layers, highways and skyscrapers soon becoming visible. All the while, she could make out some of the imposing superstructures further off, laded with factories repurposed for the production of vital material and arms for the war effort. From her vantage point, it seemed like it's any other day; aside from fluttering flags and the Mobile Suits standing guard, it even looked as though there wasn't a conflict being fought. Being on the far side of the Moon, hundreds of thousands of kilometers away from the enemy, most would be tempted to fall into complacency. _Not me. And I like to keep things that way._

Brushing aside some of the open folders and documents on her desk, her thoughts briefly went back to how deceptively easy it was to secure Granada in the first place; after nominally neutral Von Braun City, it's the second oldest and largest settlement on Luna. That the locals were and remain closer to her homeland than to their former Federation masters certainly helped in keeping order, especially when it came to mopping up the handful of stragglers. _Though killing that indecisive mayor certainly helped sway their opinion._ She soon frowned, however, knowing how all this could be just as easily taken away if those Earthnoids were given the chance.

Turning away, the sole daughter of Sovereign Degwin Zabi glanced briefly at the wide array of monitors that had been installed in her office. Much of the data, images and news tickers on most of them were matters that she already knew. One was a recording of the first Jormungand-class Gun Emplacements – a modified version of the 603rd Technical Evaluation Unit's experimental weapon that helped win the Battle of Loum – which had gone online earlier on Pezun; while she feigned that it was at Dozle's behest, she also understood their value as long-range deterrents, which drove her to insist that High Command greenlight more of those weapons for Solomon and A Baoa Qu. Another, meanwhile, showed a constantly-updating map of the Earth Sphere, with an ever-growing sea of red overtaking Federation territory; dotted here and there as well were icons representing the location of special units under her watch, like the Midnight Fenrir in North America.

Surrounding it were myriad smaller windows, mostly showing recorded footage from various fronts: Here, Zaku IIs were traversing the Canadian tundra, overwhelming a communications outpost. In another, a red MS piloted by a skilled ace nicknamed the Crimson Lightning – a rising figure in her command said to be on par with the Red Comet, Char Aznable himself – led a successful skirmish against a group of Salamis cruisers from Luna 2, where the EFSF was being contained. She smirked at that in spite of herself. _Still trying to show off._ Then there was a screen showing the recent victory in Nagpur and the celebratory cheers from the soldiers who took part; the latter, she noted in passing, was in part thanks to one of M'Quve's pet projects. _Dusk Wraiths, was it?_

The commanders and officers under her watch, many she handpicked personally, were competent enough at their jobs that she didn't have to constantly handle everything unless absolutely necessary. _I didn't rise this far just to babysit you lot. I can't even afford to shelter Garma anymore._ But already, she was noticing how the momentum was slowing, with more and more stubborn defense lines emerging in regions like Australia and Western Europe, marking where the EFGF was putting up stiffer resistance or gathering reinforcements. Even with the power of MS and her support for more audacious strategies, at the rate Zeon's going the Federation was beginning to blunt the Principality's advantages. _And this is only bound to get worse. Father was right…damn it, best to save the headaches for later._

With an audible sigh, Kycilia turned her attention to the main TV screen. With a night out in town no longer an option given her present duties, she instead decided to check out one of the peculiarities sent to her from Europe by M'Quve; while he always had a knack for artifacts and museum fodder, the Earth Drop Operations have opened up new windows for him to indulge in such hobbies. What he sent her this time, though, wasn't another Ming Dynasty vase or a Roman bust he was certain wasn't a replica. Rather, it was a tape found in a nondescript studio just outside Rome, apparently intended for a historical documentary that was being made about the UC Calendar itself before it was suddenly cancelled. Said studio seemed to be a front for one of many influential families and corporations that held a grip over the Federation. _Why would this interest me, though?_

As the Rear Admiral pressed a button on her desk's control panel, an image appeared on screen of what looked to be an enlarged platform amidst a rather rudimentary garden and flanked by large overhead screens. The footage itself had degraded enough that digital artifacts and glitches were very apparent. Even so, the quality remained clear enough for her to immediately recognize the scene as being inside Laplace, an early orbital colony built in a long abandoned style, on the last moments of the old calendar. And the cusp of what was supposed to be a brave new era, which was further underscored by an unseen announcer's voice.

 _"It is now 23:40 Greenwich Mean Time. We are about to witness the end of the world as we know it, and usher in a new world as never before imagined..._ "

Toying with her red hair, she wasn't particularly interested in the spiel, her attention instead being on the platform. On the different levels were several formally-dressed bureaucrats and military figures, while on top was a podium emblazoned with a stylized human surrounded by a laurel wreath reaching out to the future, with similar insignia visible on the walls of Laplace itself. While she wasn't the kind of woman to obsess over looks, it bemused her how, save for the odd hairstyles and middle-era dress uniforms – leftovers from an age that spawned the Cold War and all those conflicts against terrorism – clothing hadn't really changed that much over the past few generations. _If only those Earthnoids applied their forward-thinking PR to their fashion sense._

Then the camera zoomed in to focus on an old man in a light khaki suit, a large stone monument draped in finely-tailored scarlet cloth behind him as he stepped forward with firm yet bright-eyed resolve. Kycilia frowned at that deluded fool. Being the eldest daughter in the family, she spent more time trying to raise Garma and bettering herself than doing schoolwork in the wake of her mother's death. But while it didn't take an academic to know who the man approaching the podium was, not many in the Earth Sphere knew him beyond what the textbooks or museum plaques say. _Father always made sure to push us further. Myself included.  
_  
 _"...So with great enthusiasm let us open the door to our future together. Farewell, Anno Domini. And welcome, Universal Century!"_

Amidst the recorded applause, she watched as the old man took to the podium. Born in the former United States to globetrotting diplomats, the mixed-race, if still rather European-looking figure bore himself more like a practiced politician than a visionary like Zeon Zum Deikun. Yet with a measured stride of someone a few decades younger, perhaps due to expensive treatments, he effortlessly took his place and cleared his throat to speak to the billions of people watching that moment in time. _Still, not bad for someone past 60._

 _"Greetings, citizens of Earth and Space. I am Ricardo Marcenas, Prime Minister of the Earth Federation,"_ he began. " _It is with great pride that I stand before you tonight. In the past, Presidents and Prime Ministers addressed the citizens of their respective countries..."_

 _I know how this goes. Why did M'Quve bother sending me this?_ Kycilia watched the long-dead figure prattle on, finding little of value that she couldn't otherwise find in a library. In many respects, Marcenas was a poster child for the cosmopolitan world citizens that had come into prominence at that time. The public face of the same types who assumed control over their countries and promised salvation to a mankind beset by overpopulation, war and a tired planet. Never mind the proxy battles and armed "peacekeeping" that finally brought any dissenting nations left to accept the borderless unity of the Federation. To say nothing of the backstabbing and plotting by those same cliques to make their utopian vision of a world government a reality, their descendants still dominant as the Earth's elite. Or their role in forcibly relocating a growing number of "undesirables" off-world when the first true space colonies were still under construction. All of which further underscored just how hollow the words coming out of that politician's mouth were. At the same time, the Zabi woman realized, wasn't it true that very Spacenoids cast out into the void and freed from gravity had claimed, if not surpassed the dreams of those who scorned them? _If not for your hubris, we wouldn't be in this situation. Maybe I can thank you lot for that much._ She smirked at that, just as the recording reached its climax.

 _"...I ask that everyone who is watching this telecast, if possible, please pray silently with me for one moment. Think about Anno Domini, which will soon pass, think about the history of humanity that everyone made, and offer your blessings._

 _I hope that the journey of all humanity into outer space shall be stable. I hope that the Universal Century is the age where results succeed. And I believe that, lying dormant in our hearts, the God called possibilities-"_

The Prime Minister never got to finish his speech live. For all of a sudden, everything on screen turned into chaos, as everyone in Laplace was either sucked into space from explosive decompression or died from various components failing at once. It didn't take a historian to figure out that this was the infamous Laplace Incident. Instigated by terrorists and hired guns, or so the official story went, the bombing that destroyed the colony was synchronized to coincide with New Year's Day, UC 0001. Not that it stopped Marcenas' son, George from taking office, or the Federation from further justifying its absolute rule over the people that had granted it power. _And the rest is_... _wait, this is new...  
_  
Leaning closer, she noticed that the unlucky fool who operated the camera somehow managed to keep it running for a few more seconds before the footage finally devolved into silent static. Long enough for the sounds of panic, explosions and shattered glass to fade, at any rate. Quickly rewinding and slowing down those last moments before the tape finished, she was met with a graphic scene barely dulled by the much more pronounced data corruption. Explosions went off where people once stood. VIPs and reporters hoping to witness the end of an era saw their own limbs fly off. While by the large platform, a momentarily startled Prime Minister was being sucked upwards, draped in the the cloth meant to conceal the hexagon-shaped Universal Century Charter. Even for an Earthnoid, she had to admit, it was a rather fitting way to go.

But there was something else, which involved the exposed monument at the very end. The Federation had several replicas of the Charter built in myriad sizes over the decades. Found all across the Earth Sphere, be it in Von Braun, Dakar or Side 3, it was meant to symbolize the supposed unity of mankind and the shared prayer of the bright future promised by those who created it. Kycilia even remembered passing by one such reproduction back in Zum City, which Deikun and her own father had retained for posterity's sake. But while the degradation and artifacts made it impossible to read the text on the actual monument, apparently lost to time, there seemed to be more on it that what she recalled seeing before such that it couldn't simply be a glitch. Regardless of what was actually there, it struck her as peculiar how such an innocuous detail was left out in every other archived record of the event, though a part of her wondered if there's more to it than just some extra signature or amendment. _Then again, those fools have a lot of skeletons in their closet. What are you hiding?_

An "incoming call" notice, however, snapped the Rear Admiral back to reality as it popped up over the stopped tape. With a slight frown, she calmly pressed a button, causing the monitor to switch over to a live feed from a hilltop overlooking a quaint cityscape along what once been the French Riviera; although Nice was little more than a glorified resort town by the time Zeon had secured that place, it still seemed reminiscent of old postcards from the middle-era. The man standing amidst that view was a familiar blue-haired aristocratic officer, still in his light-colored uniform.

 _"It's a pleasure to see you again, Lady Kycilia,"_ he greeted with a hint of warmth and flourish. _"I take the recording of Laplace sent to your office has arrived? It's quite a curious piece of history."_

"True, it's quite the find, M'Quve. Though frankly, it's already a pain dealing with Earthnoids as is. Adding this strange mystery will have to wait," she replied nonchalantly, letting it slide how he hadn't used her formal title. "But you're not contacting me just to ask about my views on Federation politics, are you?"

 _"Of course not, my Lady. But it does concern my - well, our Dusk Wraiths. For their first official sortie, they're already making quite the impression among the men on the ground. If I may add, I didn't even need to do much spinning to get word out on their exploits!"_

Noticing the slight grin on M'Quve's face and the rather pleased tone in his voice, she took a quick glance at the screen showing the Nagpur footage, just in time to see the dark blue High Mobility Ground Types charging straight into the last enemy holdout. While not as flashy or theatrical in combat as the Crimson Lightning, they got the job done and proved their mettle by example. And much like the Midnight Fenrir, they did so too as a close team. _Perhaps you're not wrong about them._

"Coming from you, it's high praise," she finally replied, letting slip an smile before sliding back to a frown. _"_ Still, this is their first public success. They can't afford to be complacent if they're to continue being useful in boosting morale. Any embarrassing failure at this stage is unacceptable." _Especially when it can be linked to me.  
_  
 _"Which is why on top of giving them the proper commendations, I've taken the liberty of giving them a little leeway on where they want to remain in India or be sent to Northern Africa. Granted, it's at the behest of the other commanders, and I've given them until April 20, which should be in less than 24 hours."_

Kycilia gave a nod in approval. She preferred having her subordinates take more initiative. _Besides, they do deserve more responsibility on top of the fame._ "Good. Then keep me posted, M'Quve. And try not to spend too long in the museums there. That'll be all."

The man gave a gentlemanly bow just as the call ended. Once again alone, the redheaded Zabi woman sighed, finding it hard to ignore the folders and documents left on the desk, let alone the growing piles taking up space in the various shelves. The result of intensive work by the Mobile Assault Force – to say nothing of the more covert work by her own intricate network of spies and informants – they contained various pieces of classified intel. Which included not just photographs of Zaku IIs recovered by the enemy but also valuable data on growing number of those lumbering abominations in the frontlines – designated RTX-44s, or simply "Guntanks" in EFGF reports – just as in Nagpur. While it didn't take much to conclude that the Federation's attempting to create MS of its own, there were also a few cryptic references to "Operation V," which was a particular cause for headaches as of late. _And with a rather cheeky name for it, too._

As easy as it was to dismiss it as some pitiful PR attempt at propaganda from Jaburo, even with all the resources on hand, Kycilia knew there had to be some connection. Gen. Revil and those so-called Guntanks had to be involved, that much was sure, but for what exactly remained unknown. Speculating could only bring her so far, especially with barely anything to really work on. While endorsing research into more powerful MS would certainly be beneficial in keeping the odds in the Principality's favor, along with making herself even more influential, the fact remained that "Operation V" could potentially wind up with Granada and the homeland itself falling, given enough time. And the Earthnoids were evidently putting too much effort keeping a tight lid on it.

 _Much like Laplace_. She shook her head grimly, before looking out once last time into the lights of the lunar settlement. A thought crossed her mind at that moment, if only briefly. What if the Federation's plan, she mused, wasn't just borne out of stubborn hubris, but also of some deeper fear? Why would they so afraid of Zeon, Spacenoids and Newtypes in the first place?

 _What are you hiding?_

* * *

The EFSF is short for the Earth Federation Space Force, aka the spaceborne parts of the Federation military. At this point though, the EFSF doesn't really have any real parallel to Zeon's mobile suits.

The "Mobile Assault Force" is a separate branch of Zeon's military under the direct control of Kycilia Zabi. Based from the Lunar city of Granada, it's comprised of various departments including intelligence agencies, R&D projects, and special forces units.

Granada itself is the second oldest Lunar city, located on the Far Side of the Moon. Compared to Von Braun City, its inhabitants are much more pro-Zeon to the point that they become a very valuable asset to the war effort.

The 603rd Technical Evaluation Unit, is from the _MS IGLOO_ OVAs. Its stated task is to manage, catalog and field-test various prototype weapons, though in canon a number of those "experimental" prototypes are actually rejects forced into service towards the latter part of the OYW as Zeon loses ground against the Federation.

As for what the QCX-76A Jormungand (itself named after the "World Serpent" of Norse Mythology) looks like in action, click here. In the RP, it was such a success that Zeon found much of it as a viable long-range deterrent for its major bases in the Earth Sphere.

Kycilia Zabi is among the more ambitious (and the second most villainous) of the Zabi siblings, alongside her brother Gihren. In canon, she's mentioned as having the rank of Rear Admiral. But also is in charge of Zeon's intelligence services (especially her personal "Secret Agency") and responsible for the creation of various MS units like the Midnight Fenrir and later on in the One Year War, the Chimera Corps and Char Aznable's "Newtype Corps." Her allusions to her more covert aspects and her role in firmly swaying Granada to Zeon are references to _Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin_.

Colonel M'Quve is a rather major figure in Zeon's high command and an antagonist in the original _Mobile Suit Gundam_. A rather aristocratic figure, whose habits and eccentricities mask strong competence and piloting skills (in addition to a knack for fighting both nobly and dirty), not only is he in charge of the mining operations around Odessa (both for Zeon's war effort and its economy) but is Kycilia Zabi's closest and most loyal confidant and arguably the closest she has to a friend. And like in canon, he also has a thing for vases and antiques.

The Crimson Lightning is also known as Johnny Ridden, one of Zeon's Mobile Suit aces and something of an unsung rival of Char Aznable, the Red Comet himself. In canon, on top of becoming one of Kycilia's most trusted men, it's implied that he and the Rear Admiral have a more personal relationship for the years leading up to the Principality's founding, with the latter said to have saved the former. And it's strongly hinted at that the Crimson Lightning's affections for her are mutual.

The general flow of events is based on Mark Simmons' compiled timeline, including the expansion further into Europe and North America.

The MS-06G Zaku II High Mobility Ground Type is a newer variation of the Zaku II fitted with, among other improvements brought by the UMP, additional leg boosters. These help make the High Mobility Ground Type very maneuverable on the ground compared to previous models and thus, one of the highest-performing Mobile Suits in the OYW.

The "mechanical abomination" in question is the RTX-44/RTX-440, one of the Federation's earlier attempts at developing Mobile Suits. Originally intended to be a replacement for the Type 61 MBT, the revelation of Zeon's MS developments resulted in it being redesigned to be more akin to an in-between from conventional tanks to mobile suits, though with poor mobility. Armed with a 220mm Cannon and a phletora of more conventional munitions, it would be the predecessor of the RX-75 Guntank.

Ricardo Marcenas was the first Prime Minister of the Earth Federation, a key figure behind the Universal Century Charter and one of the first victims of the UC Calendar itself (during the Laplace Incident) in UC 0001. He appears in flashback in _Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn_ , his descendants playing significant roles throughout the timeline whether in the background or as major characters. The speech he gave is also based on both the OVA/series and novel versions. The legacy of the Laplace Incident also casts a heavy shadow, but at this point, it's only a glimpse of things to come.

Operation V, also known as Project V, is the Earth Federation's secret weapons development program that's endorsed by Gen. Revil. The intent wasn't simply for the Feddies to create MS of their own, but to also surpass Zeon at its own game. In canon, this would ultimately result in the RX-76 Gundam itself. In the RP it's implied that the Zabis were were able to find references to this project, though at this point they're largely in the dark on what it actually is.

Also, in UC canon it's not unheard of to refer to the AD era as either the "middle-era" or even "middle ages," to contrast it to the Universal Century.

This section is based on Turns 23-24 of the original RP and once more places much more attention on the "strategic" elements and "macro" aspects, given that someone like Kycilia would be in a much better position to oversee and make wider changes than the Dusk Wraiths at this point. At the same time, it also offered a chance to take glimpse into the backstory of the Universal Century timeline (as revealed in _Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn_ ), particularly the early days of the Earth Federation and the legacy of the Laplace Incident that gave such an auspicious start to the UC calendar itself. Hence the rather fitting title of "History Lesson," though the legacy of what happened in Laplace would play a considerably larger role further down the line.

Even with the source material in the RP, much of this chapter was made virtually out of whole cloth. In part this so as to get Kycilia's personality right, make references to both canon and previous events in the RP as seamless as possible, and to maintain consistency. At the same time, it took some rewriting and constant revision to ensure that just enough of the mystery surrounding the dawn of the UC calendar and what would become the infamous "Laplace's Box" without revealing too much (with Kycilia not quite making the connection just yet), all while finding parallels between past and present.


	18. Chapter 13: Hearts and Minds

**_Sieg Zeon:_**

 ** _An Alternate Tale of the Universal Century_**

 ** _Chapter 13: Hearts and Minds_**

While Valeria Caine was no stranger to deserts since her time at Baikonur, the heat of Northern Africa still took some getting used to even after a couple of skirmishes here. That it made it harder to go about in full attire even in the shade didn't help matters, a part of her wishing that she also got one of those new khaki field uniforms being issued to the men stationed out here. _Not that I don't regret it_ , she mused before turning back to a group of engineers and mechanics tweaking her Zaku II to be more adept for the local environment. _It's just so…strange._

The decision a couple of days ago had been unanimous, she recalled. With Nagpur captured, two key fronts were secured and the fall of Southern India was all but guaranteed. Thus, after careful consideration, each and every one of the Dusk Wraiths arrived at the same conclusion. If they were to better serve the war effort, it made sense to be sent where the fighting was still going strong: a region at the very fringes of the infamous Sahara, still known as "Morocco" no matter how much the Federation tried to erase it. A part of her vaguely recalled how there had been a time when the desert stayed in Africa rather than be felt even across the Straits of Gibraltar. But while they in some way expected the impromptu if subdued welcoming party by the officers in one of the prefab buildings, what was unexpected, however, were the couple of fans who greeted them upon arrival.

 _Fans. Didn't think we'd have those already_ , she shrugged in disbelief upon thinking of it again. As easy as it was to simply handwave it as Col. M'Quve pulling a few strings to hype up those exploits back in India all the way to this corner of the Earth, she couldn't get over how those tired soldiers seemed to go out of their way to meet them at all. That was anything but scripted. _We're just doing our job. Yet they looked up to us._

"Figured you'd be here, Val," Duncan's voice quipped as the man himself walked up next to her. "Have to hand it to those gearheads. I can't even begin to imagine how they do it with all the sand and heat here."

"Ram might. He'd give those guys a run for their money!" She smiled as she turned to her CO. "Are we heading out again?"

"A couple of days at most, it looks like," he shrugged. "The Feddies around here are still stubbornly holding on, and the higher-ups are planning some big push up on the Atlas Mountains. Intel suggests they'll throw more of those RTX contraptions. Either way, my guess is they're trying to make all that talk of making the Mediterranean a Zeon lake a reality."

She bit back an urge to frown at that. While it was the latest take on an ancient phrase, going back to the Romans if she remembered her history right, lately she'd been hearing it in Gihren Zabi's more recent speeches on Spacenoid glory, broadcast on ZeoNet and elsewhere for all to see. _No doubt at his insistence._ That man, for all his grandiosity and rousing words certainly had something to do with planning Operation British. Recalling that made her feel sick inside even if she understood why it had to be done. _And for that, we all have to be here…but there's no point crying over that now._

"With respect, Duncan," she sighed. "I'm more for giving the folks back home a better tomorrow than this. And giving those Feddies a damn good reason to keep it that way."

To her surprise, her CO smiled somberly before glancing at the MS being retrofitted. "Don't we all, Val? Though if we keep at it, who knows? We just might get what we wish for."

-o-

The Dusk Wraiths were waiting at an impromptu encampment, the head of a formation made up of 30 other Zaku IIs and an assortment of vehicles. There were two other such formations with a similar composition that had crossed the desert, which would be taking part in this push. While waiting for the signal to begin their drive into the Atlas Mountains, and being ever so thankful for climate control, Valeria was only half listening as Duncan went over their basic set up one last time. It was mainly to make sure they remembered, but it wasn't like they were juggling complex math equations or anything. It was pretty basic stuff. _Better that, though, than dying._

 _"We'll be splitting into two teams. I'll be taking Valeria and Rikka. Melliflua will be taking Kazuki and Ram,"_ her CO intoned over the comms for all of them to hear. _"If you've got a Machinegun, then stay in front and deal with the riff raff. If you've got a Cannon, then keep your eyes peeled for those RTX things. It's just that simple."_

Just as he was saying that last bit, a timer appeared in the upper left corner of her Zaku's main screens, right next to the date: April 25, UC 0079. Said timer was a quite literal two-minute warning that was dutifully counting down to zero.

 _"Alright. Let's get into position. Remember, we win this and we'll have the Med nice and secure. Do that, and it'll be that much easier to keep the African Front supplied."_

 _"I take it we have backup, Duncan?"_ she heard Melliflua ask even as her MS briskly moved into position along with the rest of her team. _"Intel says there are Feddie warships along the coast. Floating museum pieces, they may be, but they can still strike us even out here with their missiles and fighter jets."_

 _"All I know is that the higher ups have some naval support heading our way,"_ he sighed before clearing his throat. _"Now let's get a move on, Dusk Wraiths! Remember what we planned and we'll be done before you know it."_

"Roger!" she replied just as the timer reached zero. _Alright, let's do this!_ On cue, she moved her MS alongside Ram's and with Duncan in front they surged ahead of the main formation, past the smoldering remains of Federation vehicles that had been crushed days earlier.

It didn't take long, however for her to spot a hastily set up defensive line of Type 61 MBTs and those RTX monstrosities coming into her sights. By her periphery, she could just make out Rikka's MS, marking her respective team, advancing further ahead. Those so-called 'Guntanks,' though seemed somewhat sleeker than the ones in Nagpur even from a distance, almost as if the enemy was hoping to use this battle as a live field test of some sort. _Not like I'll let those bastards have the chance!_ Various explosions, however, began going off in the skies as squadrons of Dopp Kais shot down several Saberfist fighters sent in to reinforce the enemy. To her surprise, a group of those same Zeon planes broke off from whatever formation they were part of to strike a set of tanks right in front of Melliflua's MS, while another pair went off to provide her team impromptu air cover, their missiles and Vulcans soon leaving behind nothing but dust and scrap metal.

Momentarily surprised, Valeria quickly shrugged it off as she pushed on through the now-mountainous terrain, though not before having her Zaku give a salute at those fighter pilots. But even as she provided covering fire for Duncan with her Magella Cannon or blew up a few Guntanks that managed to survive those strafing runs, she still felt puzzled. She knew that they'd have support or that some strings might have been pulled. _But for them to go out of their way to help us…_

 _"Valeria. Ram. You're on overwatch,"_ her CO's voice crackled as she and her fellow Dusk Wraiths cleaned up the last remaining defenses atop that part of the Atlas Mountains. _"Once we clear the way, follow us down. Remember, prioritize those RTXs."_

"Copy that, Duncan," she replied, taking one more glance at her Magella Cannon's ammunition count. As much as she wanted to ask him about that air support earlier, she put that thought aside to focus. Though try as she might, even while dodging RTX and Type 61 fire or responding in kind, she couldn't keep the sight of those planes or the soldiers back at that tarmac entirely out of mind.

Nonetheless, she did exactly as instructed. As did Ram, and did pretty much any properly equipped Zaku that had taken part in the operation. That said, it became difficult not to stop and take notice of the smoke rising in the distance, marking not just Federation outpost that's supposed to be their final objective but various smouldering, sinking wrecks where ships once were. At first, she figured that this was the work of that naval support, which was expected to come in only after the attack had begun and ship-launched missiles softened the enemy up for them. But as she and the other Dusk Wraiths drew closer, she was stunned to find that the enemy – those who were still left alive at any rate – were retreating in droves, looking worse for wear.

All the while, a small group of bulky Zeon MS came into view. Many of those bore stumpy legs, with bulkier bodies and larger monoeyed heads than a Zaku. Some of them, particularly the deceptively plump-looking ones, had arms that seemed to have retractable claws, tube-shaped rocket launchers and even Mega Particle weapons. _That could only mean..._

 _"Those are aquatic MS!"_ Ram gasped over the comms. _"Acguys, even! I didn't think Zeonic would have those out here now!"_

 _That explains a few things._ "So much for the Feddies' ships, then. Right, let's mop this up!" Valeria remarked as she tried to process the scene about her. While she knew from talk down the grapevine that such sea-ready weapons were seeing action, it was another thing to see them reach this far. That support, it seemed, was apparently much more extensive than she had realized.

-o-

The immediate aftermath of the so-called "Battle for Morocco" for the Dusk Wraiths was spent posing for photographers, in and out of their MS, so that the propagandists could sing praises to their exploits. Truth be told, Valeria mused while taking some time off along with her comrades in the nearby city of Casablanca, she was rather uncomfortable with the whole thing.

In one of the few bars that hadn't become an impromptu Zeon establishment over the past few days, she sighed from her seat as a muted rerun of ZeoNet's "special report" on the recent victory played on a battered television. Even now, it felt wrong to glorify her unit like that. It's too much like they were ignoring the contributions of the rest of the forces that participated in the battle, whether it was the other Zakus in the thick of the action, those aquatic MS or the submarines that brought them there that did so much to hasten victory. Which wasn't getting to the many unsung figures left by the wayside. _We didn't do this alone._ Coincidentally, the broadcast segued to an on-the-spot interview of the Zeon pilot herself just after the battle, looking ever so slightly rattled.

"Come on, Caine. Cheer up," Melliflua shrugged with a wry grin across from her. "You did well in that one!"

 _Easy for you to say._ "If only I kept my big mouth shut with that," she deadpanned with a sigh while loosening her uniform's collar, recalling how she made sure to voice out her concerns with that interviewer. Instead, what that did was cause some popularity spike, with some seemingly what 'caring for the troops' actually meant. _Had I known that, I should have worded it better._ "It's not like I don't hate our soldiers or anything. I'm just getting sick and tired of those cheesy pick up lines and come ons because of it."

"At least you don't have to worry about those Prowler Wing guys. Bunch of kill stealing douche nozzles, and they've been bragging about it for days!"

"Well, they did clear a path for us. So it's not like they're _wrong_."

"Watch it, Caine," she scoffed. "I don't care if they got Duncan's fucking autograph. They're not getting mine the next time we're out on duty!"

She bit back a chuckle at that. _Guess I'm not the only one puzzled by all this._ As she glanced back at the screen, the program had shifted to more current events. With the southern fringes of India finally secure, as the newscaster conveniently reminded viewers, what remained of enemy-controlled Central Asia was ripe for the taking, the ticker at the bottom mentioning successful landings in Greenland and intense fighting in Central America as the last enemy pockets in old Mexico fall. But as of late, she didn't need to watch the news to notice how the once massive advances over the past months were slowing to a crawl almost entirely across the board. If those Logistics people Ram introduced her and the others to were right, not only was the Principality rapidly outpacing its supply chain, but it would be unable to support any further offensives within the next two weeks. If those corrupt Feddies didn't surrender by then, she and the other Dusk Wraiths knew, they'd be here for even while. _At least we made all that 'Zeon lake' talk a reality._

It was then that she heard Rikka giggling like a young schoolgirl from outside. Excusing herself, she made her way to the front door of the 21st Century-vintage building. Soon enough, she found her teammate by an empty lot, playing with a little girl no older than 11. From her somewhat ragged clothes, tanned features and apparently Muslim headdress, the child seemed to be one of the many local "Moroccans" rather than some posh tourist or delegate stranded here when the war started. Perhaps Melliflua's ancestors came from places like this, she mused briefly, the ones left behind like said local here seemed little better off despite being Earthnoids. _Maybe, even among themselves, some are less weighed down by gravity than others.  
_  
"Oh, there you are!" the ditzy blonde called out to her with a wave. "Do you want to join us?"

"Just having some fresh air! Don't mind me," she replied, only to notice not only the handful of Zeon flags and local banners that had popped up. But also how some of the locals and a few passing soldiers looked at them with what seemed to be admiration, even the little girl looking at her with awkward yet beaming eyes. For all she knew, this could have been either out of fear or set up beforehand like their "victory," just as Col. M'Quve would have intended. And yet, though she didn't know why, she sensed otherwise. _All this, just for doing our jobs...unless..._

"Um, Valeria? Are you alright?" she heard Rikka ask her with concern. "Is something wrong? Was it something I said?"

"No, it's nothing. But on second thought, I'm up for it!"

Managing a warm if somewhat tired smile, she made her way towards the pair. _Guess I do need to get used to this._ The significance of the Dusk Wraiths as well as her own part in it, however small they seemed, had yet to really sink in until now. Whether it was those tired men back in Nagpur, that couple of fans on that tarmac or the locals of Casablanca at that moment, she could already see it unfold before her eyes. No doubt, she was certain, it would continue to grow with each battle and tour of the front. And as much as she wondered how much longer she could keep it up, now wasn't the time to let her countrymen or even these locals down. If it meant that Zeon's victory in this bloodbath could endure, she was willing to do her part.

Still, as she knelt down and offered to shake the young child's hand, she wondered: would it still be enough?

* * *

The khaki desert uniforms are a references to _Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory_. While the mention of the Sahara expanding are a nod to both _The Origin_ and _Zeta Gundam_. On a similar note, the seeming sight of locals being fairly supportive of Zeon is a nod to how certain parts of the world in canon showed anti-Federation sentiments that made them more sympathetic to their supposed conquerers.

The MS-06G Zaku II High Mobility Ground Type is a newer variation of the Zaku II fitted with, among other improvements brought by the UMP, additional leg boosters. These help make the High Mobility Ground Type very maneuverable on the ground compared to previous models and thus, one of the highest-performing Mobile Suits in the OYW.

The "mechanical abomination" in question is the RTX-44/RTX-440, one of the Federation's earlier attempts at developing Mobile Suits. Originally intended to be a replacement for the Type 61 MBT, the revelation of Zeon's MS developments resulted in it being redesigned to be more akin to an in-between from conventional tanks to mobile suits, though with poor mobility. Armed with a 220mm Cannon and a phletora of more conventional munitions, it would be the predecessor of the RX-75 Guntank. That hasn't stopped the Federation from trying to refine them, which would eventually lead to later-generation Guntanks, Guncannons and eventually, the RX-78 Gundam.

The MS-03 Gogg is a heavily armored, first-generation aquatic MS by Zimmad with a reactor powerful enough to support two mega-particle guns mounted in its chest. However, it's cooling systems are nonexistent and so it must use water as a heatsink. The ballast tanks that allow it to freely move about whilst submerged can be filled with water to support land operations. However, this is only temporary, as it will be forced to return to the water the moment it uses up the water it stores in said tanks.

Following Zimmad's Gogg, Zeonic decided to develop an aquatic MS of their own. The result is the MS-04 Acguy, which used many of the same parts and components of the Zaku. Notably, it has four Head Mounted Machineguns, a Mega Particle Gun and Claws on it's right arm, and a 6-Tube Rocket Launcher in it's left arm. However, it's primary advantage was the fact that it ran quietly/coolly enough to be effective in stealth operations.

This chapter (mainly combining Turns 24-26 of the original RP) focuses on the Dusk Wraiths as they see action in North Africa, more specifically Morocco and the Atlas Mountains, as well as their role as morale-boosters. It also follows the growing repercussions of their exploits, which aren't simply because of propaganda. With Valeria coming to grips with the idea of not just having fans, but also with the idea of winning hearts and minds of her fellow countrymen as well as the locals falling under Zeon occupation.

While a good portion is based on what was written down in the original thread, a number of details were either streamlined or expounded, from giving Duncan and Melliflua more dialogue and character scenes to touching upon how even people on Earth don't share the same views on the Federation. All while still keeping the plot seen from Valeria's POV and not giving too much away about the future.


End file.
